The　environmental　impact　of　Chinese　cathode　copper　production　was　identified　and　quantified　in　the　context　of　pyrometallurgy　ical　and　hydrometallurgical　method　by　life　cycle　approach.　Combined　with　the　situation　of　copper　resources　in　China,　the　copper　ores　mining,　mineral　processing,　transportation　and　smelting　sector,　were　analyzed　in　detail.　The　normalization　results　shows　that　abiotic　depletion　is　the　largest　environmental　impact　in　both　Pyro-and　hydro-metallurgical　methods,　which　were　28.4　kg　Sb　eq　and　32.0　kg　Sb　eq,　respectively.　Electrolytic　refining　is　the　key　process　in　hydrometallurgical　life　cycle　environmental　burden　(50.21%),　and　the　mining　process　contributed　the　largest　environmental　impact　(17.94%)　in　pyrometallurgical　process.　In　addition,　the　total　environmental　burden　of　pyrometallurgical　process　is　1.15　times　of　hydrometallurgical　process.　Pyrometallurgical　methods　has　many　environmental　impact　category　which　were　much　higher　than　hydrometallurgical　because　of　the　more　use　of　fossil　fuels　in　smelting　process.　Based　on　the　life　cycle　assessment　results,　the　key　factors　to　reduce　the　overall　environmental　impact　for　China’s　cathode　copper　production　include　optimizing　the　efficiency　of　copper　resource,　and　clean　energy　sources　for　electricity　production.　©　2017　Trans　Tech　Publications,　Switzerland.