The Research Institute of Nonferrous Metal Industry, formerly known as the Development Research Center of Nonferrous Metals Industry, was established in 2010. Relying on the academic advantages of the field of nonferrous metal engineering technology of the university and integrating relevant discipline research resources, the research institute was ultimately formed. Its focus was positioned as "applied research in the field of non-ferrous metal industry economy and management", sparing no effort to solve the problems existing in the development of the industry and the corresponding development strategy to provide policy recommendations for the decision-making departments. In 2013, Jiangxi Province identified the institute as the first batch of key research bases for social sciences among the provinces. In 2016, it was successfully selected as the first source think tank of the China Think Tank Index. In 2017, it was listed as the top 100 think tanks of CTTI Chinese universities. In 2018, it was identified by Jiangxi Province as a key cultivation think tank.

In recent years, the Research Institute has made great progress in various tasks, and the research results obtained and the services provided to the community have been widely praised and affirmed. Around the field of non-ferrous metals such as rare earths, tungsten, lithium, copper and aluminum, it has undertaken 16 projects of the National Social Sciences and National Natural Science fund, including key research and emergency research, 8 research projects commissioned by national ministries, more than 40 research projects of relevant provincial departments and large non-ferrous metals enterprises; it has published more than 100 academic papers. published 14 monographs, and acquired 12 national and provincial-level research awards, including the first prize; more than 20 studies and policy recommendations have been submitted to the Central Office, the State Office, the National People's Congress, the CPPCC, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Finance and the relevant departments of the province, and received important instructions from the leaders of the State Council and the provincial and ministerial levels. Many policy recommendations have been incorporated into the development of relevant industrial policies and standards.