The adsorption and depressant action of short chain poly (oxyethylene) alkyl ethers on fine grain hydrophobic talc particles was studied. It was shown that the increase in the number of ethoxy units from (EO)3 to (EO)8 at a constant alkyl group (C12) increased the adsorption density on the talc and the depressant action. Also, maximum depressant action and plateau adsorption were shown to occur at concentrations just above the critical micelle concentration. Although non-ionic depressant also adsorbed on galena in xanthale solution, it was found possible to selectively float galena from a galena/talc mixture by careful control of the depressant concentration. From these studies it is suggested that both hydrophobic association and hydrogen bonding are important in the adsorption of the non-ionic on the talc. In the addition, it appears that the main contribution to the depressant action is the repulsive hydration forces from the multitude of ethoxy hydropholic head groups of the adsorbed micellar species.