Abstract: A method for recovering petalite from a mixture comprising petalite and feldspar minerals comprises the steps of forming an aqueous slurry of the mixture and adding to the slurry a depressant selected from the group consisting of alkaline earth metal chlorides, alkali metal chlorides, and mixtures thereof. Next, a collector comprising a quaternary ammonium salt is added to the slurry. The slurry is then subjected to a froth flotation process and petalite that is substantially free of feldspar minerals is selectively recovered from the flotation process.