PROCESS FOR FLOCCULATION OF A TAILINGS STREAM

摘要

A process for the treatment of a tailings stream is provided. The tailings stream comprises water, sand and clay fines and is produced from bitumen extraction process of an oil sands ore. The process for treating the tailings stream comprises contacting a polysilicate microgel, a polyacrylamide and one or both of a multivalent metal compound and a low molecular weight cationic organic polymer with a tailings stream to flocculate sand and clay fines.