A flotation process can be single-stage, two-stage, or multi-stage. The number of stages in a flotation process is mainly related to the dissemination characteristics of the valuable minerals in the ore and the degree of mud formation during the grinding process.

A single-stage flotation process involves directly grinding the ore to the required particle size and then performing flotation to obtain the final product, without regrinding any product. Single-stage flotation processes are generally suitable for ores with uniformly disseminated valuable minerals.

A two-stage flotation process, also known as a staged flotation process, aims to avoid over-grinding and mud formation of valuable minerals and gangue in the ore, allowing gangue to be discharged as tailings at a relatively coarse particle size. Sometimes, it can also be used to first separate some of the already separated coarse-grained concentrate. Staged flotation processes are generally used to treat ores with complex dissemination of valuable minerals.