METHOD FOR TREATMENT OF OIL SANDS TAILINGS WITH LIME OR WITH LIME AND CARBON DIOXIDE

摘要

The present invention relates to the treatment of oil sands tailings with CaO lime or with CaO lime and CO2, to achieve improved non-segregating consolidation of the solids in the tailings, and to recover the release water with acceptable chemical properties for its use in the bitumen extraction process. Non-segregating tailings are produced from the blend of cyclone underflow and thickener underflow, or from the blend of cyclone underflow, thickener underflow, and mature fine tails, by treating the tailings mix with CaO or CaO and CO2 at proper dosages, with the resultant simultaneous production of release water having lower concentrations of Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, Cl- ions, ultra fines, and color- making organic species concentrations.