Bastnasite is the chief valuable mineral in two of the world's largest rare earth (RE) mineral deposits and is also found in a number of new RE deposits currently under development. This work used electrophoretic and electroacoustic zeta potential measurements to identify the interaction between bastnasite and several different collectors. The results of these measurements were then compared with microflotation of bastnasite and quartz, a common RE gangue mineral. Zeta potential measurements of bastnasite determined the isoelectric point of bastnasite to occur at approximately pH 6.3 (via electrophoretic measurement) and pH 8.1 (via electroacoustic measurement). Sodium oleate and Flotinor SM15 (a commercial phosphoric acid ester) are both shown to chemically adsorb onto the bastnasite surface. Zeta potential measurements of bastnasite with benzohydroxamic acid indicate significant adsorption, especially from pH 5 to pH 10. The microflotation results show that all three collectors were able to successfully recover bastnasite. SM15 is the least selective collector as it floats both quartz and bastnasite whereas benzohydroxamic acid is able to selectively float bastnasite at pH 9. The recovery of bastnasite using benzohydroxamic acid is also shown to be highly dependent on frother selection. The optimum pH of flotation for all three collectors occurs at pH 9. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.