Abstract: From 2007 to 2015, series of specific rectification and comprehensive management of tailings pond carried out in China, achieving remarkable results. The total amount of tailings ponds reduced to 8869, while there are still 1425 “head-top ponds”. Fully learning the experience and measurements in tailings lifecycle safety management from other countries has important significance of improving Chinese tailings lifecycle safety management system construction and enhancing the level of safety management of tailings. This paper summed up China and British Columbia tailings lifecycle safety management requirements, analyzing the characteristics and differences between the two countries tailings safety management by comparing 7 aspects, which is the tailings basic situation, regulations and standards, tailings lifecycle safety management process, parameters design standard, the requirement of construction, monitoring, tailings ponds closing management. Basing on this, this paper put forward some measurements of improving the lifecycle safety management of tailings ponds in China.