A process for separating at least one first material from a mixture comprising this at least one first material and at least one second material, which comprises the following steps: (A) contacting of the mixture comprising at least one first material and at least one second material with at least one magnetic particle and at least one surface-modifying substance at the same time, so that the at least one first material, the at least one surface-modifying substance and the at least one magnetic particle become attached to one another, if appropriate in the presence of at least one dispersant, (B) if appropriate, addition of at least one dispersion medium to the mixture obtained in step (A) to give a dispersion having a suitable concentration, (C) separation of the addition product from step (A) or (B) from the mixture by application of a magnetic field, (D) if appropriate, cleavage of the addition product which has been separated off in step (C) to obtain the at least one first material and the at least one magnetic particle separately, wherein the surface-modifying substance modifies the surface of the at least one first material in a way that the at least one first material, the at least one surface-modifying substance and the at least one magnetic particle become attached to one another, wherein the first material is a hydrophobic metal compound or coal and the second material is a hydrophilic metal compound, wherein the at least one hydrophobic metal compound is selected from the group consisting of sulfidic ores, oxidic ores, carbonate-comprising ores, noble metals in elemental form, compounds comprising noble metals and mixtures thereof, and wherein the at least one hydrophilic metal compound is selected from the group consisting of oxidic metal compounds, hydroxidic metal compounds and mixtures thereof. (A) contacting of the mixture comprising at least one first material and at least one second material with at least one magnetic particle and at least one surface-modifying substance at the same time, so that the at least one first material, the at least one surface-modifying substance and the at least one magnetic particle become attached to one another, if appropriate in the presence of at least one dispersant, (B) if appropriate, addition of at least one dispersion medium to the mixture obtained in step (A) to give a dispersion having a suitable concentration, (C) separation of the addition product from step (A) or (B) from the mixture by application of a magnetic field, (D) if appropriate, cleavage of the addition product which has been separated off in step (C) to obtain the at least one first material and the at least one magnetic particle separately, wherein the first material is a hydrophobic metal compound or coal and the second material is a hydrophilic metal compound, wherein the at least one hydrophobic metal compound is selected from the group consisting of sulfidic ores, oxidic ores, carbonate-comprising ores, noble metals in elemental form, compounds comprising noble metals and mixtures thereof, and wherein the at least one hydrophilic metal compound is selected from the group consisting of oxidic metal compounds, hydroxidic metal compounds and mixtures thereof. <EOS>