Reverse　flotation　desilication　is　an　indispensable　step　for　obtaining　high-grade　fluorapatite.　In　this　work,　dodecyltrimethylammonium　bromide　(DTAB)　is　recommended　as　an　efficient　collector　for　the　reverse　flotation　separation　of　quartz　from　fluorapatite.　Its　collectivity　for　quartz　and　selectivity　for　fluorapatite　were　also　compared　with　figures　corresponding　to　the　conventional　collector　dodecylamine　hydrochloride　(DAC)　via　microflotation　experiments.　The　adsorption　behaviors　of　DTAB　and　DAC　on　minerals　were　systematically　investigated　with　surface　chemical　analyses,　such　as　contact　angle　determination,　zeta　potential　detection,　and　adsorption　density　measurement.　The　results　revealed　that　compared　to　DAC,　DTAB　displayed　a　similar　and　strong　collectivity　for　quartz,　and　it　showed　a　better　selectivity　(or　worse　collectivity)　for　fluorapatite,　resulting　in　a　high-efficiency　separation　of　the　two　minerals.　The　surface　chemical　analysis　results　showed　that　the　adsorption　ability　of　DTAB　on　the　quartz　surface　was　as　strong　as　that　of　DAC,　whereas　the　adsorption　amount　of　DTAB　on　the　fluorapatite　surface　was　much　lower　than　that　of　DAC,　which　is　associated　with　the　flotation　performance.　During　the　floatation　separation　of　the　actual　ore,　8wt%　fluorapatite　with　a　higher　grade　can　be　obtained　using　DTAB　in　contrast　to　DAC.　Therefore,　DTAB　is　a　promising　collector　for　the　high-efficiency　purification　and　sustainable　utilization　of　valuable　fluorapatite　recourses.　©　2021,　University　of　Science　and　Technology　Beijing.