Premium
Stabilization and destabilization of mineral fines‐bitumen‐water dispersions in tailings from oil sand extraction plants that use the hot water process
Author(s) -
Hall E. Stanley,
Tollefson Eric L.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
the canadian journal of chemical engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1939-019X
pISSN - 0008-4034
DOI - 10.1002/cjce.5450600614
Subject(s) - tailings , asphalt , oil sands , extraction (chemistry) , settling , flocculation , chemistry , mineral , chemical engineering , mineralogy , geology , materials science , environmental engineering , environmental science , organic chemistry , composite material , engineering
Effects of acid and polyvalent cations on flocculation and settling of tailings dispersions from an oil sand extraction plant are used to develop a model for previously puzzling pH dependent aspects of the hot water process. The model features calcium‐bicarbonate surface complexes that reduce mineral fines‐bitumen interactions, destabilize bitumen‐water emulsions and enhance attachment of air bubbles to bituminous surfaces. Protonation of bicarbonate allows agglomeration through formation of calcium‐carboxylate bridging complexes at mineral‐bitumen interfaces.