Waste from primary mining operations, especially mine tailings, receive much attention as potential secondary resources that can transform liabilities into resources. The primary intention is to minimize mine tailings disposal problems through volume reduction while recovering secondary resources for industrial materials. However, the environmental benefits and tradeoffs behind these objectives remain unclear. This study conducts a process-based life cycle assessment (LCA) study to investigate multiple reprocessing pathways of copper tailings to co-produce secondary metals and building materials. Four design options representing different value-recovery routes are constructed to assess the environmental burdens of reprocessing chains and the associated benefits from displaced virgin products. This study assesses emerging technologies in a prospective LCA, with projections of bottom-up foreground process modeling and background data like energy supply scenarios. Our analysis reveals that the assessed technologies can only be beneficial when all co-products are utilized. Results indicate that reprocessing may save from 25 up to 930 kg CO₂-eq per tonne of treated copper tailings. Potential environmental benefits depend on the reprocessing routes, technology upscaling parameters, and quality of secondary products. We propose recommendations to enhance the environmental performances of mine tailings reprocessing strategies, such as switching to low-impact chemical alternatives and optimizing energy use. Our findings can support the sustainable development of the metal industry in terms of waste management and secondary resource use.

初级采矿作业产生的废物，尤其是尾矿，作为可将负债转化为资源的潜在次级资源，受到广泛关注。其主要目的是通过减量减少尾矿处理问题，同时回收工业材料的二次资源。然而，这些目标背后的环境效益和权衡仍不清楚。本研究开展了一项基于工艺的生命周期评估 (LCA) 研究，以调查铜尾矿的多种后处理途径以联合生产二次金属和建筑材料。构建了代表不同价值回收途径的四个设计选项，以评估后处理链的环境负担以及被取代的原始产品的相关收益。本研究通过预测自下而上的前景过程建模和能源供应情景等背景数据来评估前瞻性 LCA 中的新兴技术。我们的分析表明，只有在使用所有副产品时，评估的技术才能有益。结果表明，再加工可减少 25 至 930 千克 CO每吨处理过的铜尾矿_{2 -eq。}潜在的环境效益取决于再加工路线、技术升级参数和二次产品的质量。我们提出了提高尾矿后处理策略的环境绩效的建议，例如改用低影响的化学替代品和优化能源使用。我们的研究结果可以支持金属行业在废物管理和二次资源利用方面的可持续发展。