Characterization of copper slag was performed by several analytic techniques. The purpose was to combine chemical and mineralogical characterization in order to identify physicochemical characteristics useful to explain copper slag catalytic capacity. Measured physicochemical properties where copper and iron crystalline phases, specific surface area and total copper and iron content. Crystalline phases were identified using the X-ray diffraction technique (XRD). A Bruker D8 Advance diffractometer Bragg Brentano geometry with a θ–θ configuration, Cu Kα radiation and a Bruker Lynxeye detector (silicon strips) were used for this analysis. The diffraction intensity was measured in a 2θ angle ranging from 10° to 70°. The identification of crystalline phases and minerals was carried out using the database Powder Diffraction File (PDF-2) of the International Centre for Diffraction Data (ICDD). The lower detection limit is 2.5% by weight for heavy compounds. The specific surface area was determined by the nitrogen physical adsorption technique (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) isotherm) using a BELSORP Mini II. The detection limit for this parameter is 0.01 m2 g−1.