Patent ID: 8404108

Claim:
A method of extracting hydrocarbon-containing organic matter from a hydrocarbon-containing material, comprising the steps of extracting the hydrocarbon-containing organic matter by a process consisting essentially of: providing a substantially surfactant-free first liquid comprising a non-aqueous hydrocarbon-extracting liquid consisting essentially of a turpentine liquid selected from the group consisting of natural turpentine, synthetic turpentine, mineral turpentine, pine oil, α-pinene, β-pinene, α-terpineol, β-terpineol, γ-terpineol, terpene resins, α-terpene, β-terpene, γ-terpene, geraniol, 3-carene, dipentene (p-mentha-1,8-diene), nopol, pinane, 2-pinane hydroperoxide, terpin hydrate, 2-pinanol, dihydromycenol, isoborneol, p-menthan-8-ol, α-terpinyl acetate, citronellol, p-menthan-8-yl acetate, 7-hydroxydihydrocitronellal, menthol, anethole, camphene; p-cymene, anisaldeyde, 3,7-dimethyl-1,6-octadiene, isobornyl acetate, ocimene, alloocimene, alloocimene alcohols, 2-methoxy-2,6-dimethyl-7,8-epoxyoctane, camphor, citral, 7-methoxydihydro-citronellal, 10-camphorsulphonic acid, cintronellal, menthone, and mixtures thereof; contacting the hydrocarbon-containing material with said hydrocarbon-extracting liquid such that an extraction mixture is formed, the extraction mixture comprising at least a portion of said hydrocarbon-containing organic matter extracted into the hydrocarbon-extracting liquid; and separating the extraction mixture from any residual material containing non-soluble material from the hydrocarbon-containing material that is not soluble in the hydrocarbon-extracting liquid.