Abstract: Global warming caused by man-made CO₂ emission has posed a great threat to the survival and the development of human beings. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is regarded as a generally accepted technique for reducing CO₂ emission worldwide. As one of geological carbon sinks, carbonation of mafic-ultramafic rocks is an economic, safe and permanent method to capture and store atmospheric CO₂, which has attracted increasing attention from the international community in recent years. The authors have described the carbonation process of mafic-ultramafic rocks under natural conditions, and illustrated the carbon sequestration mechanism and the major factors affecting the rate of carbonation of mafic-ultramafic rocks. Besides, the international research progresses and typical application projects of carbon sequestration through mafic-ultramafic rocks were summarized, and the wide spread of carbonation of mafic-ultramafic rocks around the world was considered to be high potential of carbon sequestration. The promotion and application of this technique has great significance to the reduction of atmospheric CO₂ in the near future.