Smithsonite　is　a　common　oxidized　zinc　ore,　and　its　recovery　has　gained　increasing　attention　to　meet　the　high　demand　for　zinc.　Current　methods　to　concentrate　oxidized　zinc　ores　are　through　sulfidation　flotation　or　＇sulfidation　+　metal　+　xanthate＇　flotation.　However,　such　techniques　are　not　sufficiently　efficient　for　treating　smithsonite.　In　this　study,　Pb(NO3)2　was　used　to　pre-treat　smithsonite　as　a　crystallization　inducer,　and　the　mechanism　of　lead　modification　was　studied　through　micro-flotation　tests,　adsorption　measurements,　contact　angle　measurements,　X-ray　diffraction　(XRD),　scanning　electronic　microscopy　(SEM),　and　TOF-SIMS　analysis.　The　micro-flotation　test　results　showed　that　the　recovery　of　smithsonite　after　Pb2+　pre-treatment　increased　from　80.3%　to　85.3%.　The　comprehensive　results　of　adsorption　experiments,　contact　angle　measurements,　XRD　and　SEM　analysis　indicated　that　Pb2+　adsorbed　on　the　smithsonite　surface　and　transformed　portion　of　smithsonite　into　cerussite,　increasing　the　active　sites　on　the　mineral　surface　for　adsorption　of　S　ions.　The　newly　formed　PbS　after　sulfidation　had　an　effect　of　induced　crystallization　on　subsequently　formed　PbS,　increasing　PbS　species　and　making　the　surface　more　effective　for　xanthate　flotation.　ToF-SIMS　was　used　to　visualize　the　3D　distribution　of　Pb2+　and　S2-　adsorption,　and　it　further　proved　that　pre-treatment　with　Pb(NO3)2　enhanced　the　sulfidation　process　of　smithsonite.　©　2022　Elsevier　B.V.