PROCESSES FOR TREATING TAILINGS STREAMS FROM OIL SANDS ORE

摘要

Provided are processes for treating oil sands ore tailings streams comprising: (i) contacting an aqueous slurry of oil sands ore and/or an oil sands ore tailings stream with at least one carboxylate salt to form a flocculated oil sands ore tailings stream; and (ii) separating the flocculated solids from the tailings stream. More particularly, the processes may be used to facilitate the reduction of sodium hydroxide during bitumen recovery from oil sands ore and the treatment of oil sands ore tailings streams.