In　this　study,　citric　acid　was　used　as　a　dispersant　to　improve　the　flotation　performance　of　hematite　fines.　The　effect　and　mechanism　of　citric　acid　on　the　reverse　flotation　of　hematite　fines　were　investigated　by　flotation　tests,　sedimentation　experiments,　scanning　electron　microscopy　(SEM),　zeta-potential　measurements,　and　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy　(XPS).　The　results　of　SEM　analysis　and　flotation　tests　reveal　that　a　strong　heterocoagulation　in　the　form　of　slime　coating　or　coagulation　in　hematite　fine　slurry　affects　the　beneficiation　of　hematite　ores　by　froth　flotation.　The　addition　of　a　small　amount　of　citric　acid　(less　than　300　g/t)　favorably　affects　the　reverse　flotation　of　hematite　fines　by　improving　particle　dispersion.　The　results　of　sedimentation　experiments,　zeta-potential　measurements,　and　XPS　measurements　demonstrate　that　citric　acid　adsorbs　onto　hematite　and　quartz　surfaces　via　hydrogen　bonding,　thereby　reducing　the　zeta　potentials　of　mineral　surfaces,　strengthening　the　electrical　double-layer　repulsion　between　mineral　particles,　and　dispersing　the　pulp　particles.　©　2016,　University　of　Science　and　Technology　Beijing　and　Springer-Verlag　Berlin　Heidelberg.