Oily cold rolling mill (CRM) sludge is one of the pollutants emitted by iron and steel plants. Recycling oily CRM sludge can not only reduce pollution but also bring social and environmental benefits. In this study, using oily CRM sludge as sources of iron oxide, the strontium ferrite powders were synthesized in multiple steps including vacuum distillation, magnetic separation, oxidizing roasting, and solidstate reaction. The optimal technological conditions of vacuum distillation and oxidizing roasting were studied carefully. To consider the effects of Fe2O3/SrCO3 mol ratio, calcination temperature, milling time and calcination time on magnetic properties of prepared strontium ferrite powders, the orthogonal experimental method was adopted. The maximum saturation magnetization (62.6 mA center dot m(2)center dot g(-1)) of the synthesized strontium ferrite powders was achieved at the Fe2O3/SrCO3 mol ratio of 6, 5 h milling time, 1250 A degrees C calcination temperature, and 1 h calcination time. Strontium ferrite powders synthesis method not only provides a cheap, high quality raw material for the production of strontium ferrite powders, but also effectively prevents the environmental pollution.