METHOD OF REMOVING BITUMEN FROM TAR SAND FOR SUBSEQUENT RECOVERY OF THE BITUMEN

摘要

ABSTRACTA method of removing bitumen from tar sand for subse-quent recovery of the bitumen. The method comprises submergingtar sand in a sufficient amount of a circulating solvent in whichthe bitumen is soluble, and, while the tar sand is so submerged,sonicating within the solvent with a sufficient amount of sonicenergy to break apart any connections between sand granules andto remove bitumen from the sand granules to thereby permit thebitumen so removed to go into solution in the solvent for subse-quent removal of the solvent-plus-bitumen and recovery of thebitumen therefrom.