text: According to one vendor, depressants "increase the efficiency of the flotation process by selectively inhibiting the interaction of one mineral with the collector." Thus a typical pulverized ore sample consists of many components, of which only one or a few are targets for the collector. Depressants bind to these other components, lest the collector be wasted by doing so. Depressants are selected for particular ores. Typical depressants are starch, polyphenols, lye, and lime. They are cheap, and oxygen-rich typically.