Abstract: Talc is a common co−occurring mineral of metal sulfide ores such as molybdenite, with excellent natural hydrophobicity. To elucidate the mechanism of flotation behavior of talc under the action of Pb ions and malic acid when kerosene is used as a collector, single mineral flotation tests of talc were carried out, and the adsorption mechanism of the reagents on the surface of talc was investigated by ζ−potential, XPS and FTIR. The results showed that the inhibition of talc by 1.0×10⁻³ mol/L malic acid was the most significant when the pH was 8 and the Pb²⁺ concentration was 1.0×10⁻⁴ mol/L. The recovery of talc was 54.60%, which was 32.50 percentage lower than that without inhibitors and 11.66 percentage lower than that of malic acid alone. The hydroxyl complex of lead ions in solution, Pb(OH)₂, Pb(OH)₃⁻and C₄H₄O₅²⁻ with strong hydrophilicity could be adsorbed on the surface of talc, and their combined effects shifted the surface potential of talc negatively, which was unfavorable to the adsorption of kerosene. Malate ions eroded the talc surface and reacted with the active Mg ion site on talc surface to generate hydrophilic magnesium malate, which could significantly improve the hydrophilicity of talc and change its contact angle from 64.27° to 39.87°. The research can provide significant reference for the efficient flotation separation of talc−containing minerals.