Abstract: According to coal-gangue identification features, research status of coal-gangue identification method was summarized, and representative research achievements of some coal-gangue identification methods were enumerated, such as density identification method and hardness identification method, which were characterized by density and hardness, as well as ray identification method and image identification method, which were characterized by gray scale and texture. Characteristics of various identification methods were compared. Research directions and ways of coal-gangue identification method were prospected, namely researching coal-gangue identification methods which met green development requirements of coal mine, fast and efficient coal-gangue image identification method and new efficient coal-gangue identification method fusing and innovating existing methods on basis of full analysis and understanding feature differences between coal and gangue.