Patent ID: 10703982

Abstract:
A process for solvent extraction of bitumen from mined oil sand ore is provided, comprising mixing the mined oil sand ore with at least one solvent to produce a solvent/oil sand slurry; adding water to the solvent/oil sand slurry to produce a slurry having a water-to-solids mass ratio of less than about 0.1; mixing the slurry in a mixing tank having a diameter to agglomerate the solids present in the slurry, the mixing tank operating at a power input of between 20 and 50 W/kg of slurry, to produce an agglomerated slurry; and subjecting the agglomerated slurry to solid-liquid separation to produce a first liquids stream containing bitumen and a first solids stream; whereby the slurry height in the mixing tank is 0.1 to 0.3 of the tank diameter.