Blending mined oil sand ores for bitumen extraction operations

Abstract

A process and process line for mining and blending a plurality of different grade oil sand ore is provided comprising forming an open stockyard for blending and stockpiling the different grades of oil sand ore, whereby the blending of the different grades of oil sand ore is managed by haul trucks dumping the different grades of oil sand ore at a dispatched coordinate either on the perimeter of the stockyard or in the stockyard pit.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A process line for mining and blending oil sand ore, comprising:
 a plurality of shovels for mining oil sand ore at least two separate mine faces, wherein at least one shovel is mining oil sand at a first mine face and at least one shovel is mining oil sand at a second mine face;   a plurality of haul trucks for receiving oil sand ore, whereby at least one haul truck is receiving oil sand ore from a shovel mining at the first mine face and at least one haul truck is receiving oil sand ore from a shovel mining at the second mine site;   an open stockyard for blending and stockpiling the oil sand ore, where blending of oil sand ore is managed by each haul truck dumping at a dispatched coordinate on a perimeter of the stockyard; and   a device which moves the oil sand ore from the perimeter of the stockyard into the stockyard to form at least one stockpile of blended ore.   
     
     
         2 . The process line as claimed in  claim 1 , the open stockyard further comprising a shovel for removing the blended ore from the stockpile to a mobile primary crushing station. 
     
     
         3 . The process line as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein a bucketwheel is used to remove blended ore from the stockpile and deliver to the mobile primary crushing station. 
     
     
         4 . The process line as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the relocatable crushing station comprises an integral rock crusher and discharge conveyor. 
     
     
         5 . The process line as claimed in  claim 2 , the open stockyard further comprising a second conveyor for receiving the crushed blended ore from the primary crushing station and delivering the crushed blended ore to a slurry preparation plant for preparing and oil sand slurry. 
     
     
         6 . The process line as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the slurry preparation plant is relocatable. 
     
     
         7 . The process line as claimed in  claim 5 , further comprising a screening assembly for screening the oil sand slurry to form screened slurry. 
     
     
         8 . The process line as claimed in  claim 5 , further comprising a solids removal assembly for removing additional solids from the screened slurry. 
     
     
         9 . The process line as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the solids removal assembly comprises a semi-mobile desanding assembly. 
     
     
         10 . A method for blending at least two different oil sand ores, each oil sand ore having a different grade, comprising:
 providing at least one haul truck for each oil sand ore for delivering the oil sand ore to a designated area;   mapping out a grid on the designated area indicating locations where each ore sand ore is to be deposited by each haul truck; and   mixing the oil sand ore in the designated area to form a stockpile comprising a substantially uniform grade of blended oil sand ore.   
     
     
         11 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the designated area is a stockyard having a pit and the blended oil sand ore is stored in the pit until needed. 
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , further comprising reclaiming the blended oil sand ore in the pit by means of a shovel. 
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 12 , further comprising crushing the reclaimed blended oil sand ore in a crusher located in the pit. 
     
     
         14 . The method as claimed in  claim 13 , further comprising conveying the crushed reclaimed blended oil sand ore to a slurry preparation unit.