Iron ore tailings, a residue generated from iron ore processing after extracting the concentrate, is a major industrial solid waste, which has been a public attention on its utilization. This paper gives an introduction to the features and situation of China’s iron ore tailings, analyzes its significance and necessity to comprehensively use the tailings, and reviews the comprehensive utilization status, and presents an outlook how to use the tailings that depends upon policies, economic, legal and technical researches as an effective methods to develop the secondary resource.