PROCESS TO FLOAT BITUMEN FROM MINERAL SLIMES RESULTING FROM TAR SANDS PROCESSING

摘要

The present invention is an improved method for recovering bitumen from a waste sludge containing bitumen, mineral and water. The sludge is obtained from a retention pond used to store tailings from water extraction of bitumen from tar sands and is converted to a froth from which the bitumen is recovered. The improved method involves subjecting the sludge to air flotation in a flotation cell at a controlled rotor speed and at a controlled air flow, deaerating the froth thus obtained and recovering the bitumeh.