Copper tailings (CTs), as one of the major industrial solid wastes, have garnered significant attention due to their potential for comprehensive resource utilization. Currently, the cumulative reserves of CTs in China account for approximately one-quarter of the total tailings volume, second only to iron tailings, indicating a large reserve. However, the development of tailings recycling technologies in China is relatively slow, and the utilization efficiency of CTs remains is low. It is urgent to explore a reasonable and efficient methods for CTs. While research on the application of CTs in cement and concrete has been extensive, these studies typically focus on specific aspects of performance or application research, with relatively few comprehensive reviews available. This paper categorizes the use of CTs in cement production and concrete application, reviews the fundamental properties of CTs, as well as their application characteristics and advantages in cement and concrete, and provides a summary and outlook on the control of heavy metal ion leaching and activation techniques for CTs. The goal is to offer technical and theoretical support for the comprehensive and efficient utilization of CTs.