Tailings stream treatment processes
US8815004B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 19, 2011 |
| Grant date | Aug 26, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 28, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02W30/91
- WIPO fieldMaterials, metallurgy
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A process for treating a tailings stream comprises (a) contacting (1) a gelling agent and (2) an activator with said tailings stream to produce a gel; (b) entrapping solids including sand and clay, and other solid particles with the gel; and (c) allowing the gel to strengthen and solidify to produce a trafficable deposit; wherein the tailings stream comprises water and solids, which solids comprise sand, clay and other solids particles, and wherein 5% by volume to 100% by volume of the solids have a particle size less than 0.05 mm, based on the total volume of the solids. The process may further comprises spreading the gel produced in step (a) or the trafficable deposit produced in step (c) over a surface. The present invention is particularly useful to treat tailings streams produced in processes to extract bitumen from oil sands ores.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.