With　the　rapid　development　of　industry　in　China,　China　has　become　the　largest　producer　of　refined　copper　as　well　as　the　largest　consumer　of　copper　in　the　world.　In　order　to　provide　the　support　for　decreasing　the　environmental　impact　of　the　copper　pyrometallurgy　of　China,　the　life　cycle　assessment　methodology　was　carried　out　in　this　study　to　identify　and　analyze　the　typical　processes’　environmental　load　of　refined　copper　production　from　‘cradle-to-gate’　perspective.　The　results　showed　that　the　most　serious　environmental　impact　of　copper　pyrometallurgy　was　abiotic　depletion　potential　and　human　toxicity.　The　abiotic　depletion　potential　mainly　comes　from　the　copper　ore　mining,　for　this　reason,　increasing　the　use　of　renewable　copper　is　an　effective　means　to　alleviate　environmental　load　of　our　country　copper　pyrometallurgy　industry.　Meanwhile,　reducing　the　direct　and　indirect　discharge　of　poisonous　and　harmful　elements　(e.g.　heavy　metals)　from　the　copper　ore　mining　stage　and　the　copper　smelting　process　could　decrease　the　human　health　damage　efficiently.　©　(2015)　Trans　Tech　Publications,　Switzerland.