Contacting treated oil shale with carbon dioxide to inhibit leaching

摘要

Leaching of water-soluble constituents from particles containing treated oil shale and including oxides of alkaline earth metals, such as particles in an in situ oil shale retort, is inhibited by contacting the particles with carbon dioxide in the presence of water for a sufficient time to produce a substantially water-insoluble and/or impermeable barrier of carbonates of alkaline earth metals at the surface of the particles.