To explore soil mineralization potential at different elevations in alpine shrub meadow, we selected alpine shrub meadow soils at 3 elevation gradients (3800 m, 4000 m, and 4200 m) in Zheduo Mountains and investigated the carbon mineralization characteristics and carbon mineralization rate by using indoor analysis methods. We used simultaneous reaction model to describe carbon mineralization kinetics and estimated organic carbon mineralization parameters. The relations between soil cumulative mineralization amounts and their influencing factors were also analysis. Results showed that soil cumulative mineralization amounts and activated carbon contents were significantly higher in 0-20 cm soil layer than 20-40 cm soil layer and both of them were largest in summer; There was no consistent change of soil cumulative mineralization amounts and activated carbon contents among different elevations, but the podzolic soil (at 3800 m elevation) was the largest. The soil carbon mineralization rate gradually decreased with the duration of cultivation time, and the decrease rate in initial 21 days were significantly higher than later stage. C₀ and C₀/SOC value were significantly higher in summer, indicating that the carbon sequestration capacity of summer was relatively lower than that of other seasons and the podzolic soil was lowest. Soil carbon mineralization was significantly correlated with soil total nitrogen, soil organic carbon and soil activated carbon. Moreover, microbial biomass carbon could directly affect organic carbon mineralization. The seasonal variation of soil carbon mineralization amounts was affected by the combination of soil physical and chemical properties and environmental factors. These factors worked together to make complex changes in the components of soil organic carbon pool. Therefore, the protection of vegetation and the rational control of summer pastures were essential in alpine shrub meadows.