Syncrude Canada Ltd.

Syncrude Canada Ltd. in Trust for the Owners of the Syncrude Project As Such Owners Exist Now and in the Future

Syncrude Cananda Ltd.

Canadian Natural Resources Limited

Nan Wang

Jonathan Spence

Randy Mikula

Adedeji Dunmola

Ron Cleminson

Eric Leneve

Peter Read

Barry Bara

James Lorentz

Gail Buchanan

Shahram Yazdanpanah

Trevor Finlayson

Geoffrey Halferdahl

Robertino Hertanto

Glen Miller

Robert Donahue

Colleen Macneil

Ana Manderson

George Dogbe

A process for enhancing the solidification of tailings is provided comprising providing overburden having a moisture content ranging from about 15 wt % to about 25 wt % and comminuting the overburden to a first size; providing tailings having a solids content ranging from about 1 wt % to about 70 wt %; adding the tailings to the first sized overburden to form treated overburden and comminuting the treated overburden to a second size; and depositing the second sized treated overburden to produce a substantially solidified deposit.

Overburden/tailings mixtures for engineered tailings deposit control

A process for reducing segregation of mining tailings while being deposited below the surface of a column of fluid is provided which comprises introducing the mining tailings into a downpipe having an inlet at or near the surface of the column of fluid and an outlet submerged in the column of fluid; providing at least one pressure drop element in the downpipe to prevent acceleration of the mining tailings and maintain the tailings flow therethrough; and providing a diffusing device at the outlet of the downpipe to reduce the velocity of the mining tailings as the tailings are discharged therefrom.

Subaqueous mining tailings placement

A process of dewatering tailings is provided comprising providing overburden having a moisture content ranging from about 15 wt % to about 25 wt % and comminuting the overburden to a first size; providing tailings having a solids content ranging from about 10 wt % to about 60 wt %; adding the tailings to the first sized overburden to form treated overburden and comminuting the treated overburden to a second size; and depositing the second sized treated overburden to produce a solidified deposit.

A process of dewatering tailings is provided comprising mixing the tailings with a sufficient amount of an additive or a mixture thereof; depositing the resulting mixture into a disposal area; pumping water from the deposit to one or more sumps, and allowing the deposit to reach a sufficient strength; and removing remaining deposit water and rainfall through one or more of a network of ditches, a decant tower, or a plurality of dike drainage structures to yield a non-segregating deposit for reclamation.

Oil sands fluid fine tailings dewatering using rim ditching

Growing community of inventors

Edmonton, Canada

Nan Wang