In this article, we present literature reviews on fire prevention methods, especially in mining industries, using thermal image processing techniques. Fire protection systems are crucial because of the increased loss of human lives due to coal fires and fatal explosions in coal mines across the world in the past few decades. And with the growth in the demand for energy and the mining of coal expected up to the year 2050, determining conditions leading up to a breakout of fire is paramount. To detect uncertain fire breakout conditions, thermal imaging is considered the most significant among several early warning methods to recognize spontaneous combustion of coal piles (e.g., temperature recordings by sensors, compaction testing of ore seam, gas tests). The evolution of thermographic imaging applied in various industrial sectors (e.g., coal furnaces, oil tankers, building inspections, security) with numerous applications of mathematical models will be presented in the light of safety dimensions in the mining industry. The missing links or unattended areas of mathematics in the application of thermal image processing in mining, especially in the coal industry, will be evolved as the gap in knowledge suggested in our concluding statements.