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:
Nov. 17, 2015
Filed:
Mar. 12, 2014
Wei Ren, Missouri City, TX (US);
Ken N. Sury, Calgary, CA;
David C. Rennard, Houston, TX (US);
Shahram Yazdanpanah, Calgary, CA;
Wei Ren, Missouri City, TX (US);
Ken N. Sury, Calgary, CA;
David C. Rennard, Houston, TX (US);
Shahram Yazdanpanah, Calgary, CA;
ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company, Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
Systems and methods for dewatering mine tailings. The systems and methods include distributing a slurry of high permeability material on a sloped surface to define a high permeability layer and subsequently distributing a slurry of low permeability mine tailings on the high permeability layer to define a low permeability layer that is vertically above and in contact with the high permeability layer. The sloped surface defines a non-zero surface grade, and natural slopes of both the slurry of high permeability material and the slurry of low permeability mine tailings are within a threshold grade difference of the surface grade. In some embodiments, the systems and methods may include augmenting the slurry of high permeability material and/or augmenting the slurry of low permeability mine tailings to adjust the natural slope thereof.