Patent ID: 7763166

Claim:
A process line for separating oil sand slurry comprising coarse solids, fines, bitumen and water, into a first product comprising bitumen, fines and water and a second product comprising coarse solids, fines and water, comprising: (a) a pipeline for transporting and conditioning oil sand slurry; (b) a plurality of countercurrently operating solid/liquid separators arranged in series along the pipeline, each separator operatively connected to the pipeline and to each other, and each separator producing an underflow and an overflow, wherein the underflow of one separator is fed to the next separator in series and the overflow of each separator is fed to the previous separator in series, the underflow of the last separator being the second product and the overflow from the first separator being the first product; and (c) a tailings deposition pond for receiving the second product, whereby, when the coarse solids settle out from the water, the water from the tailings deposition pond is recycled back to the last separator.