High-efficiency　reduction　of　Fe3O4　particles　in　molten　copper　slag　is　the　key　for　recovering　slag-entrained　copper,　although　restrained　by　the　sluggish　reaction　kinetics　of　commercial　powdery　reductants　with　low　density.　Here,　a　new　strategy　by　density　tuning　in　conjunction　with　pelletizing　of　the　powdery　reductants　is　suggested,　greatly　enhancing　the　Fe3O4　reduction　kinetics　and　resulting　in　remarkably　facilitating　the　recovery　of　slag-entrained　copper.　Specifically,　by　replacing　the　industrially　used　coal　powder　with　FeS2-C　pellets　at　optimized　density,　the　efficiency　of　Fe3O4　reduction　is　significantly　increased　from　18%　to　51%,　with　the　copper　content　in　the　low-layer　slag　being　correspondingly　enriched　from　1.37%　to　4.53%.　The　SEM-EDS　characterizations　and　finite　element　analytical　results　all　reveal　that　the　enhanced　reduction　of　Fe3O4　by　the　as-designed　reductant　contributes　to　the　decrease　of　slag　viscosity　and　copper　exposure,　as　well　as　to　the　size　growth　of　copper　matte　droplets,　resulting　in　promoted　settling　of　copper-containing　components　for　copper–slag　separation　in　the　molten　state.　Additionally,　the　full　exposure　and　size　growth　of　copper　matte　in　the　molten　state　facilitate　copper　reclamation　during　the　subsequent　grinding–flotation　process　of　the　solidified　slag,　which　increases　the　copper　recovery　from　23.3%　to　85.3%,　with　the　concentrate　grade　being　correspondingly　improved　from　2.8%　to　6.45%　after　one-stage　flotation.　The　results　can　provide　new　insights　into　enhancing　the　recovery　of　slag-entrained　copper.　©　The　Minerals,　Metals　&　Materials　Society　2024.