Abstract: Flotation is the key process to deal with refractory hematite，and the selection of inhibitors has a decisive influence on the flotation effect. The application of traditional starch inhibitors is limited due to poor selectivity and low solubility. Ionic starch inhibitors significantly improve their inhibition perfor‐ mance and selectivity in hematite flotation by introducing specific functional groups. The effects of starch molecular structure (amylose and amylopectin ratio) on its inhibition behavior were systematically reviewed. The flotation effects of common starches such as corn starch，cassava starch，millet starch and sorghum starch were compared. The inhibition mechanism and application status of ionic starches such as carboxy‐ methyl starch，phosphate starch，sulfonated starch，cationic starch and amphoteric starch were analyzed. Amylopectin is more likely to form a dense adsorption layer on the surface of hematite due to its branch struc‐ ture; ionic starch enhances the selective inhibition of hematite through electrostatic interaction，hydrogen bonding and coordination mechanism. Carboxymethyl starch and phosphate starch show excellent perfor‐ mance in practical applications. The aim is to provide a reference for the design of new highefficiency starch inhibitors and the development of green separation technology for hematite.

Key words: hematite, ionic starch, inhibitor, caustic agent