Premium
Fines/Water Interactions and Consequences of the Presence of Degraded Illite on Oil Sands Extractability
Author(s) -
Wallace Dean,
Tipman Robert,
Komishke Brad,
Wallwork Vince,
Perkins Ernie
Publication year - 2004
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.5450820405
Subject(s) - illite , slurry , oil sands , precipitation , clay minerals , asphalt , divalent , chemistry , ion exchange , dilution , carbonate , chemical engineering , aqueous solution , mineralogy , environmental chemistry , geology , ion , materials science , environmental science , environmental engineering , organic chemistry , physics , meteorology , engineering , composite material , thermodynamics
The chemical composition of the aqueous phase in oil sand slurries influences bitumen recovery from oil sands, especially those containing greater than 10% fines. The composition is controlled by a combination of mixing and dilution, ion exchange with clay surfaces and precipitation of divalent ions as carbonate minerals. Elevated levels of soluble potassium in the oil sand, which appear to be a marker for degraded illite or smectitic clays, are associated with depressed bitumen recovery. These clays have a swelling character and can contribute divalent ions to the slurry by ion exchange between the clay mineral surfaces and the process water.