Abstract: The thiosulfate leaching process is a green and efficient method for gold recovery， and the copper-containing ammoniacal thiosulfate system is a common thiosulfate leaching system. In this system， copper ions can form complexes such as copper tetrammine and copper thiosulfate with ammonia and thiosulfate ions， respectively. These complexes play a crucial role in the dissolution of gold minerals and also have an impact on the deposition and adsorption of gold during the recovery process. This study introduces the mechanism of thiosulfate leaching for gold recovery and the role of copper-containing complexes in the leaching process. It also analyzes the influence of copper-containing complexes on several commonly used gold recovery methods. Furthermore， the development direction of gold recovery from thiosulfate-rich solutions is discussed.