Abstract: Objective To address the issues of large-scale iron tailings occupying land and causing environmental pollution, and to achieve efficient and comprehensive utilization of iron tailings, taking iron tailings as the research object, the utilization pathways of iron tailings in concrete were elaborated. MethodAt present, the stock of iron tailings piles is becoming increasingly serious, and comprehensive utilization is urgent. The preparation of concrete from iron tailings is one of the main ways to utilize iron tailings. This article introduces the current discharge situation of iron tailings and analyzes the requirements of the surface topography, particle size composition, and chemical composition of iron tailings for the preparation of concrete. Result The two main ways of applying iron tailings in concrete, namely the application of iron tailings in cementitious materials and the application of iron tailings in aggregates, and the advantages and disadvantages of iron tailings concrete in practical applications were summarized. The activity requirements as a cementitious material and the grading requirements as aggregates were discussed, indicating that the performance strength of iron tailings concrete mainly comes from the micro aggregate effect between fine particles and the hydration products generated by secondary hydration reaction with cement. ConclusionFinally, the current research problems and future research directions of iron tailings concrete were proposed.