The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 03, 1998
Filed:
Oct. 17, 1996
William L Strand, Edmonton, CA;
Anthony F Banks, Saskatoon, CA;
Bitmin Resources Inc., , CA;
Abstract
A method for processing lumps of oil sand containing bitumen to produce a bitumen froth and non segregating tailings of a solid material and a sludge. The method includes depositing the lumps of oil sand into a bath of warm water. The lumps are then conditioned by gently contacting them with the warm water to liberate and separate bitumen from the oil sand while minimizing the dispersal into the bath of fine material contained in the oil sand. Following conditioning, the solid material remaining after the liberation and separation of the bitumen from the oil sand is removed from the bath and collected for further processing. The warm water containing bitumen and dispersed fine material is also removed from the bath and collected for further processing. Following removal from the bath, the warm water containing bitumen and dispersed fine material is separated into the bitumen froth and a suspension of dispersed fine material. The suspension of dispersed fine material is dewatered to produce the sludge, which is combined with the solid material to produce the tailings.