Degrading the residual xanthate efficiently, environmentally, and economically in the mineral processing wastewater is a major problem needing to be solved urgently in the process of building a green mine. Photocatalytic degradation of xanthate in flotation wastewater is an environmentally friendly wastewater treatment process. It has many advantages, such as simple and convenient operation, wide application range, mild reaction conditions, free secondary pollution, etc. This work focuses on the application of photocatalytic degradation methods and reviews the research progress of photocatalysts of xanthate in recent years. It mainly introduces the research overview of photocatalysts according to the different classifications of photo-catalytic materials and their modification methods, and then explores the reaction mechanism and related influencing factors of photocatalytic degradation of xanthate. Moreover, improvement methods based on the factors affecting the degradation rate of photocatalysts are proposed. In the end, the design and process development of catalysts for photocatalytic degradation of xanthate were prospected. The photocatalytic materials currently used in the degradation of xanthate are mostly derived from metal semiconductors, including titanium, bismuth, zinc, copper, tungsten, iron-based compounds, and their modified substances, as well as non-metal semiconductor g-C3N4 and HAP-based photocatalyst. The ultimate goal of studying photocatalytic technology is to treat pollutants efficiently and environmentally. Therefore, how to improve the degradation efficiency is the core issue of the study. The existing literature mainly uses degradation conditions and photocatalysts to determine the factors affecting degradation efficiency and proposes targeted improvements. In addition, to make up for the shortcomings of a single photocatalyst, a combined process will be adopted to maximize the photocatalytic degradation efficiency.