<p>Mantle plumes represent crucial carriers for the cross-layer transport of material and energy within Earth’s interior. Originating from the deep interior, they carry deep-seated materials upward to interact with the lithosphere, generating significant volcanic activity. Mantle plumes exhibit a characteristic head-tail morphology, where their thermal anomaly and carried chemical components (e.g., primitive mantle, subducted oceanic crust) significantly influence their morphology and the composition of related surface volcanic rocks. Upon interaction with the lithosphere, the plume head can trigger large-scale flood basalt eruptions and the formation of large igneous provinces (LIPs), while the plume tail gives rise to hotspot tracks, controlling their associated topography and heat flow distribution. These interaction processes are influenced by source composition, lithospheric thickness, mantle rheological structure, etc. The plume-lithosphere interaction has important resource and environmental implications: first, the released volatiles can trigger climate anomalies and even mass extinction events, second, it can form various mineral deposits. Future research should focus on whole-lifecycle modeling of the plume, integrating geochemical and geodynamical models, investigating plume activity within the supercontinent cycle framework, and simulating plume-related mineralization processes to advance our understanding of this key geodynamic process.</p>