As fully-mechanized coal mining faces advance toward long-distance and high-throughput operations, long-distance, heavy-duty scraper conveyors are increasingly challenged by amplified self-weight, accumulated running resistance and insufficient intelligent closed-loop regulation. This study identified four technical routes by reviewing domestic and international studies for more efficient, reliable, and intelligent operations under complex working conditions: system-level lightweight design and energy-consumption optimization, drive control and multi-motor coordination, chain-drive failure and fault identification, and intelligent monitoring and closed-loop regulation, regarding their research development, key methods, and coupling relationships. Results reveal that existing studies are limited in the mechanisms of self-weight amplification and resistance accumulation under long-distance conditions, dynamic coupled control of multi-drive long-chain systems, the transformation of chain-drive failure mechanisms into engineering early-warning methods, and the implementation of intelligent closed-loop regulation in complex underground environments. This study therefore proposes future research directions based on the present industrial demands: low-carbon lightweight design, robust control under complex working conditions, AI-based predictive maintenance, and intelligent operation and maintenance supported by digital twins and underground 5G. This study provides references for research and engineering applications of key technologies for long-distance, heavy-duty scraper conveyors.