Sulfidization　flotation　is　the　primary　method　for　the　commercial　processing　of　zinc　oxide　minerals;　however,　hemimorphite　cannot　be　effectively　processed　by　this　method　because　of　the　lack　of　sulfide　active　sites　on　its　surface.　In　this　paper,　a　promising　method　for　increasing　the　number　of　sulfide　active　sites　on　the　hemimorphite　surface　through　surface　modification　with　fluorine　ions　is　proposed.　Microflotation　tests　show　that　the　floatability　of　fluorine　ion-modified　hemimorphite　was　superior　to　that　of　the　bare　hemimorphite　in　the　presence　of　fluorine　ions　with　a　concentration　of　5　×　10−5　mol/L.　Furthermore,　the　recovery　increased　by　3–5%,　while　the　activator　(Na2S　and　Pb2+)　dosage　decreased　by　11.1%.　Moreover,　the　proposed　method　improved　the　separation　index　of　hemimorphite　and　quartz　and　increased　the　grade　and　recovery　of　hemimorphite.　The　mechanism　involves　corrosion　of　the　hemimorphite　surface　by　fluorine　ions,　resulting　in　a　reduction　in　the　Si　content　of　the　hemimorphite　surface　and　the　exposure　of　the　originally　masked　Zn.　The　exposed　Zn　exhibited　strong　reactivity　toward　vulcanizators　to　form　ZnS;　this　generated　the　more　hydrophobic　species　PbS,　thereby　facilitating　the　absorption　of　xanthate　species　onto　the　sulfurized　mineral　surface　and　enhancing　its　hydrophobicity.　©　2021　Elsevier　B.V.