Patent ID: 9162925
Filing Date: 2015-10-20
Classification: C04B,Y02W

Abstract:
1. A process for treating a tailings stream comprising (a) contacting (1) a gelling agent and (2) an activator with said tailings stream, wherein the tailings stream comprises water and solids, which solids comprise sand and clay, 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; (b) entrapping the solids within a gel; and (c) allowing the gel to strengthen and solidify to produce a trafficable deposit; wherein the gelling agent is selected from the group consisting of colloidal silica, aluminum-modified colloidal silica, de-ionized colloidal silica, polysiloxane, siliconate, and combinations of two or more thereof.