Abstract: Vegetation restoration plays a vital role in ecological rehabilitation and biodiversity conservation in mining areas. However, the ecological environment in semi-arid mining areas of northern China is fragile, which present numerous challenges to effective vegetation restoration efforts. This study takes the Shendong mining area as the research object. Based on field quadrat surveys carried out in 2021, we established a plant diversity evaluation method for semi-arid mining areas using the analytic hierarchy process, and assessed the plant diversity characteristics under 12 vegetation restoration modes in the mining area. We also compared the effects of different species and tree planting densities on plant diversity using one-way ANOVA and paired samples t-test method. The aim is to reveal the current status of biodiversity and to identify suitable species and technical models for vegetation restoration. The results indicate that: (1) A total of 134 vascular plant species belonging to 32 families and 96 genera were recorded in the Shendong mining area survey, with the highest numbers found in the Poaceae (28 species), Asteraceae (23 species) and Fabaceae (15 species). Herbaceous plants dominated (79.85%), while shrubs (13.43%) and trees (6.72%) were less common. (2) Regarding species selection, Pinus tabuliformis, Hippophae rhamnoides and Hippophae rhamnoides subsp. sinensis showed high plant diversity indices and are suitable for vegetation restoration in Shendong mining area, while Populus simonii had a low plant diversity index and is not suitable for vegetation restoration in Shendong mining area. (3) Regarding planting density, low-density (60-70 trees per Chinese mu, with 1 Chinese mu being approximately equal to 1/15 hm²) planting of trees was more beneficial for the community biodiversity and vegetation restoration compared to high-density (110-140 trees per Chinese mu) planting. (4) In terms of community configuration, vegetation restoration modes with ‘high’ and ‘relatively high’ diversity index can be promoted and applied. The Hippophae rhamnoides + Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica mode had a high comprehensive diversity index, showing potential in water use, soil conservation, and soil organic matter recovery, and can be promoted as a priority vegetation restoration mode. The Hippophae rhamnoides + Populus simonii mode had the lowest comprehensive diversity index and should not be adopted. Our study suggests that suitable species selection, reasonable planting density and scientific community configuration can enhance ecosystem diversity, stability, and sustainability during vegetation restoration in semi-arid mining areas, thereby optimizing ecological and economic benefits. These findings provide a scientific basis for ecological restoration in the Shendong mining area and offer great references for plant diversity conservation and restoration practice in semi-arid coal mining areas of northern China.