The depressant effect of corn starch, its polysaccharide components (amylose and amylopectin), the monomer glucose and the dimer maltose were studied on hematite and quartz, by means of infrared spectrometry, adsorption isotherms determination and microflotation tests. All the carbohydrates tested have been effective in maintaining hematite hydrophilic, including glucose and maltose; as for quartz, only a flocculation action (mainly by amylopectin) had a mild effect in decreasing its floatability by the amine collector. FTIR studies confirmed that the carbohydrates adsorbed intensively onto hematite and the spectra of the adsorbed polymers and monomer were very similar, even though the non-adsorbed monomer spectrum was markedly different. The common adsorption mechanism indicated is a surface reaction involving the iron ion. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.