Abstract: The development of comprehensive recovery and utilization of tungsten smelting slag in China are summarized, and the recovery process and research progress of useful metals, such as tungsten, tantalum, niobium and scandium in tungsten smelting slag are introduced. The results show that with the increasing gap between supply and demand of tantalum, niobium, scandium and tungsten, etc., the comprehensive utilization technology of tungsten slag develops rapidly. At present, the problem of recovering valuable metals such as tantalum, niobium and scandium from tungsten slag can be basically solved. According to the current environmental challenges of tungsten smelting industry and the change of tungsten resource endowment, the development trend of tungsten smelting slag treatment in the future is proposed. On the one hand, high performance solid waste products such as alloy cast iron and microcrystalline glass can be produced to deal with part of tungsten slag. On the other hand, through the innovation of tungsten smelting technology, the reduction or resource of tungsten slag could be realized, and the emission of tungsten slag can be reduced from the source to ensure the healthy development of tungsten industry.