Nickel ore is the main part of nickel and cobalt ore in Qinghai, and cobalt is usually produced as associated ores of magmatic nickel ores or contact metasomatic polymetallic ores, and independent cobalt ores are rare. Nickel deposits are relatively concentrated in the Qinling-Qilian-Kunlun metallogenic domain, South Qilian metallogenic belt and East Kunlun metallogenic belt nonferrous metal ore concentration area, the deposit type is magmatic, which is closely related to mafic-ultramafic rocks intruded by mantle-derived magma through deep liquation, and the abnormal enrichment and mineralization mostly occurred in the Early Paleozoic Ordovician (South Qilian metallogenic belt) and Devonian (East Kunlun metallogenic belt). The mineralization was formed in a post-collisional extensional environment during the late evolution of the Proto-Tethys. Cobalt deposits are mainly distributed in Qinling-Qilian-Kunlun metallogenic domain and Tethyan metallogenic domain, but independent cobalt deposits and associated cobalt deposits with economic value are exposed in East Kunlun metallogenic belt, South Qilian metallogenic belt and a"nyemaqen metallogenic belt. The main types of cobalt deposits are magmatic, marine volcanic and contact metasomatic; The metallogenic epoch of cobalt deposits is complex, which can be divided into four metallogenic stages, namely, Ordovician and Silurian of Early Paleozoic, Devonian and Carboniferous of Late Paleozoic and Triassic of Mesozoic. The metallogenic geological environments of different metallogenic stages are significantly different. The metallogenesis varies with the types of deposits, but it is basically consistent with the enrichment and formation process of the main ore species. The mineralization of Ordovician-Devonian is in the extensional environment after orogenesis. Forming magmatic deposits related to mafic-ultramafic rocks of non-ophiolite type; forming marine volcanic rock deposits in the Carboniferous period in the oceanic spreading environment; forming contact metasomatic deposits in the Triassic period related to the magmatic intrusion of continental margin arc. According to the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics, mineralization and metallogenic geological background of the deposits, the nickel and cobalt deposits in Qinghai are divided into 10 metallogenic series, 15 metallogenic subseries and 9 deposit types. Base on that regional metallogenic geological setting, regional metallogenic condition, the known mineralization information and the latest prospecting results, the regional element geochemical field, the metallogenic Serie of ore deposits and the research degree analysis, the prospecting potential of different types of nickel and cobalt deposits in the metallogenic belt is proposed. The South Qilian metallogenic belt, the northern Qaidam metallogenic belt and the East Kunlun metallogenic belt in the time-space domain of the former Tethys Ocean tectonic activity are still the first possible prospecting areas, and the field investigation should focus on the Ni-rich iron series basic-ultrabasic rocks unrelated to ophiolite, and then the magmatic nickel deposits related to ophiolite mafic-ultramafic rocks should be explored in the ophiolitic melange belt. For the less studied cobalt deposits, the first is to focus on the metallogenic geological environment and favorable metallogenic conditions of independent cobalt deposits of marine volcanic rock type, and the second is to focus on the occurrence state and abnormal enrichment mechanism of Co element in known deposits; The northern Kunlun magmatic arc in the Galinge-Yemaquan area in the western part of the East Kunlun metallogenic belt and the Qimantag-Xiariha magmatic arc in the Dulan area in the eastern part of the East Kunlun metallogenic belt are favorable for finding contact metasomatic polymetallic associated cobalt deposits. The East Kunlun metallogenic belt and a"nyemaqen metallogenic belt may become important prospecting areas for marine volcanic cobalt deposits related to the oceanic ridge magmatism during the spreading period of the Paleo-Tethys Ocean. In general, magmatic nickel deposits, marine volcanic type independent cobalt deposits and paragenetic cobalt deposits, magmatic type associated cobalt deposits and contact metasomatic type associated cobalt deposits can be regarded as the main direction of future exploration of nickel-cobalt deposits.