Surface deformation and its control remain critical concerns in underground mining，especially in regions with thick tertiary soft rock formations，dense surface infrastructure，and complex deformation modes. Reasonable and effective control of surface deformation is of great significance for improving mining efficiency and ensuring underground mining safety. Taking Zhonggangou vanadium-titanium magnetite deposit as the research background，where the Xigeda Formation covered nearly two-thirds of the surface area，with thicknesses ranging from 40 to 200 meters. The formation’s poor mechanical properties and complex geological conditions，combined with the presence of key surface facilities—such as tailings dams，reservoirs，and residential areas—pose significant challenges for safe mining. In view of this，theoretical calculations and numerical simulation methods were combined to analyze the deformation response of surrounding rock and surface under different arrangements of pillars and isolation pillars. The focus was on exploring the differences in the control effect of surface rock movement under the conditions of retaining and recovering pillars with different thicknesses of isolation pillars. Results demonstrate that in areas with thick Xigeda overburden，retaining both inter-pillars and isolation pillars is essential. A configuration with 15-meter inter-pillars and 75-meter isolation pillars effectively limits surface subsidence and ensures the stability of surface structures，balancing safety with economic efficiency. The research results can provide theoretical support and decision-making basis for optimizing miningdesign，improving resource recovery rate，and clarifying the scope of surface relocation under similar complex geological conditions.