Abstract: Against the backdrop of the in-depth implementation of China′s “dual carbon” strategy and the gradual relocation of coal production to arid and water-scarce regions in central and western China, such as Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Shaanxi, dry separation technology has demonstrated broader application prospects due to its water-saving advantages. In the field of thermal coal, this technology can effectively replace conventional wet coal preparation methods and alleviate water resource constraints. In the field of coking coal, its combination with wet separation technologies enables efficient preliminary gangue rejection and improves the overall performance of the separation system. Moreover, for underground preliminary gangue rejection, dry separation technology has become one of the most economically and technically feasible solutions currently available. Based on engineering practice, the design of dry coal preparation plants should focus on five key aspects: raw coal moisture control, adaptability to feed particle size, stability of feeding conditions, dust and noise control, and development of intelligent systems. Looking ahead, future research on dry separation technology should focus on improving separation accuracy and processing capacity, optimizing equipment structure to reduce equipment footprint, enhancing raw coal moisture control, advancing intelligent technology, and achieving deep integration with clean energy systems. These efforts will promote the high-quality development of the coal preparation industry toward greener, more efficient operations.