Abstract: Recovery of fine cassiterite mineral from ores by flotation has been proved an effective process in mineral processing. The collectors determine the quality of the beneficiation index. Hydroxamic acid is a chelating collector of cassiterite with high performance in the flotation process, which form four or five-membered ring chelate with cassiterite. In this paper, the characteristics of hydroxamic acid collectors and their application in cassiterite flotation were reviewed. The effects of metal ion activation and synergistic action of reagents on cassiterite flotation were discussed.