Plant-based mineral exploration has long relied on empirical practices, yet relevant scientific research remains relatively limited, thereby impeding the advancement of this technical approach. To advance interdisciplinary fields of botany and mineral exploration, this study conducted systematic sampling and compositional analysis of Alhagi sparsifolia in the vicinity of a newly discovered giant magmatic Ni-Cu sulfide deposit in NW China. The results show that Alhagi sparsifolia samples from the mineralized mafic-ultramafic intrusions exhibit lower concentrations of Na, Ca, and Sr, significantly lower delta 41K values, higher Ni contents and K/Na ratios, and slightly elevated Co levels compared to those from barren intrusions and wall rock (mainly granitic gneiss) areas. In contrast, Alhagi sparsifolia samples from the Gobi Desert (a region far from the mining area) exhibit marked compositional variability across multiple elements. These features are consistent with compositional differences of rocks in various growing environments, indicating compositional inheritance from the protolith through soil to plant throughout the plant growth cycle. Concentrations of K, P, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu and Al in Alhagi sparsifolia samples show overlapping ranges across different sampling areas, which are attributed to nutrient absorption and competitive inhibition of the plant among different elements. The botanical discrimination observed between mineralized and barren intrusions, as well as between different rock types, suggest the great potential of Alhagi sparsifolia as an indicator species for mineral exploration. This study provides new evidence for overcoming the limitation of "specific plants for specific metal minerals" and opens a new avenue in plant-based mineral exploration.