3D　printing　for　cementitious　material　is　an　innovative　and　promising　construction　method　that　is　rapidly　gaining　ground　in　recent　years.　Utilizing　waste　or　recyclable　materials　as　the　primary　raw　material　to　produce　cementitious　material　for　3D　printing　can　greatly　promote　the　3D　printing　to　reach　its　maximum　cost-effective　potentials.　This　paper　proposes　an　environmental　friendly　cementitious　mixture　that　is　compatible　with　an　extrusion　based　printing　process.　In　this　study,　six　replacement　ratio　of　tailing　to　sand　from　0%　to　50%　are　investigated.　A　single　nozzle　printing　system　is　developed　and　the　operational　process　is　illustrated.　Experimental　tests　are　performed　to　determine　the　printable　properties　of　mixtures　containing　various　content　of　tailings,　including　the　extrudability,　buildability,　flowability,　open　time,　fresh　and　hardened　properties,　etc.　Based　on　the　measurements,　the　optimal　mixture　is　determined　as　substituting　natural　sand　with　30%　mass　ratio　of　mining　tailings,　which　enables　structures　achieve　a　favorable　buildability　and　a　relatively　high　mechanical　strength.　In　particular,　the　critical　value　of　controlling　parameters　to　achieve　sufficient　printability　are　specified.　And　the　compressive　and　flexural　strength　of　the　printed　and　the　casted　samples　are　measured　and　compared.　To　conclude　the　present　research,　extrudability　and　buildability　coefficients　are　proposed　for　optimizing　design.　(C)　2017　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.