Actinolite　is　often　associated　with　hematite　and　tends　to　form　fine-grained　particles　during　grinding,　which　makes　the　recovery　and　separation　of　hematite　through　flotation　challenging.　This　study　innovatively　used　polyethylene　oxide　(PEO)　as　a　flocculant　and,　in　a　reverse　flotation　system　with　dodecylamine　(DDA)　as　the　collector,　increased　the　recovery　rate　of　actinolite　by　40.59　%,　the　desilication　rate　of　the　binary　artificial　mixed　ore　by　25.23　%,　and　that　of　the　ternary　artificial　mixed　ore　by　4.62　%.　The　study　also　investigated　the　effect　of　PEO　on　the　structure　of　actinolite　during　flocculation　and　the　relationship　between　the　structure　of　actinolite　flocs　and　their　floatability.　Laser　particle　size　and　turbidity　tests　indicated　that　PEO　significantly　increased　the　particle　size　of　fine　actinolite,　causing　it　to　aggregate　into　flocs　while　reducing　its　settling　velocity　and　apparent　density.　Optical　microscopy　and　scanning　electron　microscopy　observations　revealed　that　the　low　density　of　the　flocs　was　due　to　PEO　flocculating　fine　actinolite　into　porous　and　irregular　spherical　shapes　with　high　surface　roughness　and　specific　surface　area.　Energy　dispersive　spectroscopy　analysis　and　wrapping　angle　analysis　demonstrated　that　the　flocs　have　a　large　specific　surface　area,　apparent　volume,　and　are　subject　to　greater　buoyancy,　making　them　more　likely　to　attach　onto　the　surface　of　bubbles　and　be　carried　by　them.　Therefore,　PEO　can　be　used　as　a　flocculant　for　the　flotation　of　actinolite,　increasing　the　floatability　of　fine-grained　actinolite　and　thereby　enhancing　the　flotation　removal　rate　of　actinolite　in　hematite.　The　mechanism　of　fine-grained　actinolite　flocculation　enhancing　reverse　flotation　desilication　of　hematite.　©　2025　Elsevier　B.V.