Centrifuge Tailings from Oil Sands Plants--A Resource Material for Titanium and Zirconium

摘要

In the hot water process (HWP) for the extraction of bitumen from the Athabasca oil sands, enriched concentrations of titanium and zirconium minerals have been observed in the dilution centrifuge tailings. These minerals are hydrophobic and are preferentially wetted by bitumen. Consequently, they may be beneficiated by oil phase agglomeration with low grade coal, refinery coke as hydrophobic collectors and heavy oil as a binder. This study presents the results of a bench scale feasibility study to evaluate liquid phase agglomeration (spherical agglomeration) as an option for the recovery of titanium and zirconium minerals from dilution centrifuge tailings.