Process for Separating Bitumen from Other Constituents in Mined, Bitumen Rich, Ore

Abstract

Separation of bitumen from mined ore employs cooling of the mined ore at a temperature where all the species contained in the ore become solid and brittle. Ore is maintained solid by appropriate continuous injection of cold air and/or carbon dioxide in the processing plant through the process. Difference in thermal expansion coefficient between bitumen and other ore species creates thermal stresses at interfaces of bitumen and other materials. The stresses favor separation of bitumen from other materials along species interfaces during comminution. The breaking of existing ore particles tends to occur at interfaces between different species, creating a mix of particles where bitumen particles are not aggregated with any other ore constituents such as ice or sand particles. The particles are maintained cold, loose and unattached. Ore particles are sorted and separated while still frozen in solid phase, creating a stream of frozen bitumen particles. The process is stopped when bitumen concentration is large enough for economical treatment by other bitumen existing processing techniques.

1 . A process for separating bitumen and other hydrocarbons from mined ore that contains these hydrocarbons, based upon the applications of one of several steps made of the following three independent actions that can be used together or one after the other or a combination of both, under various implementations, as part of the process
 cooling of the ore while keeping it agitated enough so that it remains loose and the particle size does not increase during the process.   crushing the ore in order to separate bitumen from other materials present in the ore while it is cold so that bitumen and all other constituents are and remain solids and brittle through the operation.   separating the materials while they are still cold enough so that they remain frozen, solid and loose during the separation   
     
     
         2 . The process as described in  1  where the ore is cooled even more below the temperature where the hydrocarbon become frozen and brittle in order to create and subsequently take advantage of thermally induced stress at the interfaces of these hydrocarbons with other materials. These thermally induced stresses facilitate the shattering process of the ore grains at the interface of bitumen and other materials. 
     
     
         3 . The process as described in  1  where the crushing and separation are performed several times, each time selecting the separation from the ore of a specific waste material, either a special kind of mineral particles or ice, targeting various kinds of waste materials using different technologies or settings through the various separation stations deployed along the process. 
     
     
         4 . The process claimed in  1  where the ore is cooled with injection of cooled liquid carbon dioxide where the liquid carbon dioxide transforms itself upon release in the ore processing chain for a part in gas for part in carbon dioxide ice. 
     
     
         5 . The process claimed in  4  where the carbon dioxide ice is further mixed with the ore before sublimation of the carbon dioxide occurs. 
     
     
         6 . The process claimed in  1  where the ore is cooled with refrigerated air. 
     
     
         7 . The process claimed in  1  where the ore is cooled with a mixture of cold air and liquid carbon dioxide where the liquid carbon dioxide transforms itself upon release in the ore processing chain for a part in gas for part in carbon dioxide ice. 
     
     
         8 . The process claimed in  7  where the carbon dioxide ice is further mixed with the ore before its sublimation occurs. 
     
     
         9 . The process claimed in  1  where the ore is separated by grains size in two or more independent streams that are treated separately for bitumen liberation. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 9 , further comprising separating wastes particles from valuable ones while keeping the particles cold to prevent unwanted properties change induced by warming up of the particles. 
     
     
         11 . The process claimed in  1  where the gas expansion resulting from the heat transferred from the ore to the cooling gas is used as a mechanical driver to work on the ore stream itself. 
     
     
         12 . The process claimed in  1  where the crushing is controlled to liberate bitumen from grains while minimizing the crushing of sand grains and other mineral material. 
     
     
         13 . A process comprising separating bitumen and hydrocarbons from mined ore that contains the bitumen or other hydrocarbons, further comprising cooling and agitating the ore and thereby preventing particle sizes from re-agglomeration and maintaining the ore in loose condition, freezing the particles and making the particles brittle, crushing the brittle particles and separating fine bitumen or other hydrocarbons particles from larger particles of other materials present in the ore by size, density, shape, electric properties or other surface properties. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13 , further comprising separating semi solid or fluid valuable material from ore by cooling and aerating particles of the ore, loosening the particles, screening the particles and removing sand grains as waste, cooling and aerating loosened and screened particles to a lower temperature milling the cooled aerated and screened particles separating dense particles from light particles and separating and recovering valuable material powders from the lighter particles. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein the first cooling and aerating comprises lowering temperatures of the particles below a freezing point of water. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein the first cooling and aerating comprises lowering temperatures of the particles below a material glass transition temperature. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein the loosening comprises entraining the particles in gas jets and impacting the particles against each other or against a solid surface. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 17 , wherein the screening separates coarse mineral particles separated as waste and finer particles are retained and sent to the next processing station. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein the processing comprises rotating the ore particles in drains while flowing cold gas through the particles. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 14 , further comprising further cooling and aerating the lighter particles and further milling the cooled and aerated lighter particles before the separating and recovering the valuable material powders. 
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 20  further comprising separating wastes particles from valuable ones while keeping the particles cold to prevent unwanted properties change induced by warming up of the particles 
     
     
         22 . Apparatus comprising an ore intake, ore preparation crushers and coolers connected to the ore intake, a first cooler and loosener connected to the ore intake, an ore particle breaker connected to the cooler and aerator, a second cooler connected to the ore breaker, an ore particle crasher connected to the second cooler, a particle separator connected to the second cooler, separating coarse particles as waste from finer particles, a particle separator receiving the finer particles and separating the final particles by differentiated surface attraction, adhesion composition, shape, electric properties or density.