Sodium　silicate　activators　derived　from　silica-rich　wastes　have　attracted　increasing　attention　owing　to　their　promotion　on　the　sustainable　production　and　development　of　alkali-activated　materials　(AAM).　This　paper　presents　the　research　progress　on　the　feasibility　of　using　silica-rich　wastes-derived　sodium　silicate　activator　as　an　alternative　to　commercial　sodium　silicate　activator　in　AAM.　The　basic　factors　affecting　the　quality　of　silica-rich　wastes-derived　sodium　silicate　activator　are　reviewed.　The　structure　features　between　commercial　sodium　silicate　and　derivative　sodium　silicate　are　addressed　and　compared.　Influences　of　the　two　different　sodium　silicates　on　flowability,　mechanical　properties,　microstructure　and　durability　are　summarized　and　discussed.　Previous　studies　reveal　that　utilizations　of　amorphously　rich　SiO2　containing　materials,　together　with　proper　preparation　technology,　enable　to　produce　highly　reactive　sodium　silicate　activators　and　as　a　consequence　to　obtain　materials　with　comparable　or　even　better　performances　as　compared　to　the　commercially　available　sodium　silicate-AAM.　Recommendations　for　future　investigation　are　provided　eventually.　Copyright　©　2023　Japan　Concrete　Institute.