Abstract: This paper briefly introduced the current situation of tailings stockpiling and the associated resource utilization methods of tailings in China. In terms of the low activity of utilizing tailings as building materials, we summarized the research progress made in several activation methods of tailings, including mechanical activation, thermal activation and chemical activation, and the corresponding mechanisms as well as their merits and demerits. We concluded that only integrating multi-methods could achieve the optimal activation. Despite cost-effectiveness, chemical activation still cannot completely substitute other activation methods. If being addressed thoroughly, it would better serve the resource utilization of tailings and remarkably remove the potential environmental issues.