<p>Human development and climate change mitigation require substantial mineral resources, some of which generate a large amount of tailings. The severities and volumes of tailings storage facilities failures are increasing, posing a major challenge to sustainable development. However, it is difficult to determine which countries should prioritize tailings management and how to effectively manage existing tailings while simultaneously addressing such a crisis. This study fills such a gap by investigating the trends of copper tailings generation in major copper-producing countries. Our results show that the global copper tailings generation is projected to continue to rise until at least the middle of this century because of the increasing demand for copper and the gradual decline of ore grades. We recommend developing a comprehensive strategy and fostering coordination among involved stakeholders to address this tailings crisis.</p>