Patent ID: 7758746

Claim:
A method for separating bitumen from oil sands, comprising: contacting a separating composition comprising: 1) from about 0.1% to about 4.0% by weight of an aromatic phosphate ester having the formula: wherein R 1 is a C 1 -C 5 linear or branched alkyl group and n=1 to 8; 2) up to about 4.5% by weight of sodium acid pyrophosphate; 3) up to about 4.5% by weight of tetrapotassium pyrophosphate; 4) from about 2% to about 9.5% by weight of sodium hydroxide; and 5) from about 1.7% to about 8.6% by weight of phosphoric acid with oil sands comprising bitumen and sand; heating the separating composition and the oil sands; agitating the separating composition and the oil sands; and recovering the bitumen and sand as separate products.