Abstract: Lithium smelting slag is by-product along with lithium salts production from lithium con⁃ centrate by smelting. With the current high demand for lithium products，more and more lithium smelting slag need safe disposal. Based on the analysis of the basic characteristics（classification，chemical compo⁃ sition，mineral phase composition and so on）of lithium smelting slag and the necessity of conducting rele⁃ vant research，the current ways of recycling lithium smelting slag（production of traditional building materi⁃ als and adsorbing materials，synthesis of geopolymer cementing materials and its comprehensive recycling） were summarized. At the end，the difficulties of high-value utilization of lithium slag were analyzed and the future prospects were presented.

Key words: lithium smelting slag, building materials, adsorbing materials, comprehensive recovery