<p>Drawing on land use data of typical mineral resource-based cities throughout the world from 1990 to 2020, this study offers a comprehensive analysis of spatial structural evolution across different developmental stages. Employing life cycle theory and urban morphological analysis, the study uncovered the spatial evolutionary trajectories of each city, after which the common rules were summarized. Initially, these cities exhibited a scattered urban structure. With the exploitation of mining resources, high-vitality areas became increasingly agglomerated around one or several mining centers with the urban structure evolving from the construction stage to the growth and maturity stages. Subsequently, cities may face decline due to resource depletion or achieve regeneration through strategic urban transformation. The main forces driving these processes lie in geographical features, market-driven industrial changes, and government interventions. The study contributes to understanding the spatial evolution of mineral resource-based cities by providing a detailed examination of the whole life cycle and underscores the importance of bottom-up industrial upgrading and top-down political guidance in shaping urban spatial structures.</p>