Abstract:Copper slag, a solid waste product generated during the copper smelting process, has gradually become a significant issue due to the growth of the economy and the constant increase in copper production. The accumulation of copper slag hinders the green and sustainable development of the copper industry. Valuable metals such as iron, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver are present in copper slag, and their significant recycling value makes it an important secondary resource. In this paper, we explore the physical, hydrometallurgical, and pyrometallurgical methods for extracting these precious metals from copper slag. This work also introduces an innovative technology for high-value copper slag utilization by the special metallurgical innovation team at Northeastern University. This technology enables the recovery of copper, iron, lead, and zinc from copper slag, and the preparation of cement clinker from tailings, thus achieving a high-value, slag-free, comprehensive utilization of copper slag.The paper provides a comprehensive review of copper slag utilization and offers some insights and recommendations for its large-scale, environmentally-friendly, and slag-free use in the future.