An important ore-forming regularity concerning the alkaline metasomatism in literature has been long neglected. In the past 30 years, the authors have gradually found out that the alkaline metasomatic process constitutes the crucial ore-forming mechanism, as evidenced by the following facts: 1) the whole hydrothermal process starts with the alkaline metasomatism (the introduction of K+ and Na+ to the altered rocks); 2) this process provides ore sources by leaching and extracting of ore components from pathway rocks through metasomatism; 3) the process can promote the hydrothermal solution transition from alkaline to acidic by the exhaustion of K+ and Na+ in the solution and the destruction of the stable migration forms of ore components, thus resulting in their precipitation; and 4) alkaline metasomatic rocks become very porous, which is favorable for the introduction and penetration of ore-forming solution and provides ore and oil- gas traps.