Arsenic　contamination　significantly　affects　the　quality　of　copper　concentrates,　presenting　challenges　during　smelting　processes.　Considering　that　covellite　and　enargite　have　similar　surface　properties,　they　are　difficult　to　separate　by　flotation,　resulting　in　copper　concentrates　with　excessive　levels　of　arsenic.　To　address　this　issue,　this　study　systematically　investigated　the　flotation　separation　of　covellite　and　enargite　in　microflotation　and　bench-scale　flotation　tests　using　calcium　lignosulfonate　as　a　depressant,　with　the　results　indicating　that　calcium　lignosulfonate　can　be　used　to　separate　covellite　and　enargite　because　it　enables　the　separation　of　arsenic-bearing　copper　minerals　into　high-　and　low-arsenic　(As　0.57%)　copper　concentrates.　According　to　contact　angle　and　adsorption　tests,　scanning　electron　microscopy–energy　dispersive　spectroscopy,　and　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy,　the　differential　adsorption　of　calcium　lignosulfonate　onto　covellite　and　enargite　is　the　primary　reason　for　their　distinct　flotation　behaviors　in　the　presence　of　calcium　lignosulfonate.　The　selective　depressive　effect　of　calcium　lignosulfonate　provides　a　novel　approach　for　improving　the　flotation　separation　of　arsenic-bearing　minerals　from　copper　sulfide　minerals.　©　Society　for　Mining,　Metallurgy　&　Exploration　Inc.　2024.