The work aims to reveal the adsorption characteristics of salicylhydroxamic acid (SHA) on ilmenite surface in terms of thermodynamic and kinetic properities in the adsorption process. The adsorption rule of reagent was summarized with water bath shaking method and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry by changing slurry pH, temperature and reagent concentration. Pseudo-first order model, pseudo-second order model and diffusion model were adopted to explore the kinetics of reagent adsorption. The reagent adsorption thermodynamics were analyzed by Langmuir, Freunlich and Mean-adsorption-energy. The absorption kinetics of SHA ions on ilmenite was in conformity with pseudo-first-order kinetic equation. The diffusion of SHA ions on mineral surface film was the control step in acidic and neutral conditions, while in alkaline condition, the diffusion of active particles of mineral surface on mineral film was the control step during absorption process. Reagent absorption accorded with Freunlich model at low temperature. As the temperature increased, the adsorption isotherm was in conformity with absorption model of Langmuir monomolecular layer. ΔG? during absorption decreased as the temperature increased, but increased as the reagent concentration improved. The reagent was proved to be ion-exchange absorption model at low temperature by mean adsorption energy but was chemical reaction adsorption model at high temperature. The adsorption rule of SHA on ilmenite surface was influenced greatly by the slurry pH、temperature and reagent concentration. The flotation index of ilmenite can be optimized by changing the conditions mentioned above in mill practice.