Potassium butyl xanthate shine reagent na flotation tare da ƙarfin tattarawa mai ƙarfi, wanda ake amfani dashi ko'ina a cikin gauraye flotation na nau'ikan ƙarfe sulfide mara nauyi.Wannan samfurin ya dace musamman don flotation na chalcopyrite, sphalerite, pyrite, da sauransu. A ƙarƙashin takamaiman yanayi, ana iya amfani da shi don fifita jan ƙarfe sulfide daga ƙarfe sulfide ƙarfe, ko kuma zaɓi sphalerite da aka kunna ta jan karfe sulfate don yin iyo.