With　the　rapid　advancement　of　global　industrialization,　the　emission　of　bulk　solid　waste　continues　to　increase　annually.　Currently,　the　traditional　landfill-based　treatment　method　not　only　leads　to　significant　resources　wastage　but　also　poses　substantial　risks　to　the　ecological　environment　and　human　health.　Thus,　there　is　an　urgent　need　for　efficient　treatment　method　to　comprehensively　utilize　solid　waste.　Ceramsite,　an　artificial　ceramic　particle　known　for　its　lightweight,　large　specific　surface　area,　and　strong　adsorption　capacity,　is　widely　utilized　in　practical　engineering　applications.　Using　solid　waste　rich　in　silicon,　aluminum,　calcium,　and　other　mineral　elements　as　raw　materials　for　ceramsite　production　enables　the　large-scale　and　efficient　utilization　of　industrial　solid　waste,　offering　considerable　social,　environmental,　and　economic　benefits.　The　preparation　of　sintered　ceramsite　is　mainly　influenced　by　some　key　factors　such　as　the　ratio　of　solid　waste　raw　materials　and　the　relative　content　of　ceramic,　fluxing,　and　gas-generating　components.　Meanwhile,　the　preparation　of　non-sintered　ceramsite　is　substantially　impacted　by　the　curing　system　including　temperature,　humidity　and　time.　Therefore,　this　paper　reviews　the　key　preparation　processes　and　application　fields　of　sintered　and　non-sintered　ceramsite.　The　effects　coal-based,　waste　slag-based,　tailings-based　and　sludge-based　solid　wastes　as　primary　raw　materials　on　the　gas-liquid　phase　equilibrium　in　sintered　ceramsite　are　summarized,　and　the　complementary　synergistic　effects　among　solid　wastes　are　discussed.　Additionally,　the　interrelationship　between　internal　reaction　products　and　pore　structure　in　non-sintered　ceramsite　balls　under　different　curing　systems　is　compared　and　analyzed.　The　pretreatment　and　improvement　measures　for　solid　waste　ceramsite　concrete　are　reviewed.　Finally,　the　advantages　of　using　solid　waste　ceramsite　in　water　treatment　and　sound-absorbing　materials　are　discussed.　This　paper　systematically　elucidates　the　features　of　diverse　solid　waste　materials　and　curing　methods　from　both　preparative　and　applicational　viewpoints,　providing　insights　to　facilitate　future　research　on　resource　utilization　of　solid　wastes　in　ceramsite.　©　2025　Elsevier　Ltd