Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) is commonly used as a depressant for talcaceous minerals. To assess whether CMC depressants are strongly, or weakly and reversibly bound to the surface of talc, desorption experiments were conducted on New York talc. The floatability was monitored through microflotation experiments, combined with the determination of the CMC coverage on talc by ToF-SIMS. CMC adsorption and desorption were carried out in distilled water and in electrolyte containing Ca2+ ions. CMC adsorption levels were higher using Ca2+ electrolyte, in line with the depression behavior in the microflotation tests. Washing did not affect the flotation behavior. ToF-SIMS showed that CMC coverage of the talc particles was good and the distribution homogeneous. Adsorption and subsequent desorption in distilled water however, showed a partially restored floatability after desorption, which could be related to an inhomogeneous CMC distribution on the talc surface as shown by ToF-SIMS. By additional exposure to Ca2+ ions CMC redistribution occurs causing depression. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.