Patent ID: 7234252

Claim:
In an apparatus for soil excavation comprising vacuum excavation means for removing soil using suction, the improvement comprising: beneficiating means for beneficiating said soil during said soil excavation, said beneficiating means comprising at least one beneficiating agent which beneficiates said soil by means of a method selected from the group consisting of direct chemical reaction, ion exchange, cementation, dilution, gradation changes and combinations thereof, said beneficiating agent selected from the group consisting of hydrated lime, Portland cement, sand and mixtures thereof; and said vacuum excavation means comprising at least one vacuum hose having a soil inlet end and a soil outlet end, a vacuum pump operably connected to said at least one vacuum hose whereby said soil is sucked through said soil inlet end into said at least one vacuum hose, a vacuum holding tank having a tank soil inlet in fluid communication with said soil outlet end, and soil loosening means for loosening said soil prior to applying said suction.