Abstract: The vulnerability assessment of natural ecosystems in mining areas is of significance in resources management, environmental protection, and regional sustainable development. Based on the analyses of the concepts of ecological vulnerability and the related assessment models, and following the ‘pressurestatusresponse’ (PSR) assessment framework, an assessment indices system was put forward to quantify the vulnerability of natural ecosystems in mining areas from the aspects of human pressure, ecosystem sensitivity, and ecological resilience, with the application of landscape metrics. Taking the Liaoyuan City of Jilin Province as a case, the results showed that among the various types of natural ecosystems, grassland had the highest ecological vulnerability, while forestland had the lowest one. In all the 33 towns, Yangmulin Town had the highest ecological vulnerability, while Dongfeng County town had the lowest one. In the four districts and counties of Liaoyuan, Longshan District had the highest ecological vulnerability, with the Xi’an District, Dongfeng County, and Dongliao County in a descending sequence. The main factors affecting the spatial differentiation of the ecological vulnerability were land use pattern, natural ecological environment, and human disturbances such as mining and settlement.