Soil organic carbon (SOC) is the largest carbon pool in terrestrial ecosystems and plays a key role in preventing soil degradation, conserving soil health, and addressing global climate change. Soil minerals are important component of the soil solid phase, and their interaction with soil organic carbon directly affects soil interfacial activity, physicochemical properties, and fertility status. The concept of mineral carbon pump (MnCP) emphasizes the crucial role of soil minerals in driving the active organic carbon sequestration, and elaborates on the function of minerals in the process of soil organic carbon stabilization. This review takes the mineral-mediated soil carbon sequestration process as the main line, systematically sorts out the concept of MnCP, introduces in detail the five MnCP-mediated carbon sequestration mechanisms, influencing factors, and related characterization techniques. Key scientific issues that need further exploration within the MnCP framework are proposed in the end.