Oil sand tailings?

[NL1CAT]

Hey,
How do they process oilsand-tailings?
Do they just pump it in a large pit, or do they use filter-chamber presses?
What size are the particles (is it below 63µ)?
Do they build embankments out of dried in tailings?
Just some questions..

 

[tootalltimmy]

Do a Google search for Suncor or Canadian National Resources. Lots of info on the net when you look around.

 

[NL1CAT]

Do a Google search for Suncor or Canadian National Resources. Lots of info on the net when you look around.

Thanks tootalltimmy

I always google first

But right now I found just what i wanted to know on
THIS link.

The reason I was interested was, I use to work at a aggregate crush screen wash operation and we use to use tailing ponds also.
But when the operation was doing more and more tonnage the ponds couldn't keep up and we started to use polymers (volkulant) for quick settling and filter chamber presses that press the tailings to above 90% dry stuff.
And in that manner we got much more clean water back for washing and an easier to store and sell tailings.

The way we did it was different because we would add vlokulant when it got out of the pipe and put it in a settle basin and pump the settled tailings into storage tanks which fed the filter chamber presses.

 

[alco]

I'm glad you got the information you needed. I only just saw this post, so I'm sorry I didn't answer earlier. One thing to keep in mind is the shear volume that is being dealt with. That alone would pretty much preclude the use of filter presses to dewater the tailings material. Also, once the material was dewatered, you would have a more costly situation to move it to a disposal site, whereas, in it's wet state, it is simply pumped through a pipeline and deposited where it is needed.

I for one would like to see something more done to dewater the tailings material before it deposited, but the costs involved would be astronomical.

 

[NL1CAT]

I'm glad you got the information you needed. I only just saw this post, so I'm sorry I didn't answer earlier. One thing to keep in mind is the shear volume that is being dealt with. That alone would pretty much preclude the use of filter presses to dewater the tailings material. Also, once the material was dewatered, you would have a more costly situation to move it to a disposal site, whereas, in it's wet state, it is simply pumped through a pipeline and deposited where it is needed.

I for one would like to see something more done to dewater the tailings material before it deposited, but the costs involved would be astronomical.

Hi Alco,
Guess you was diggin' up more slugde eh?



Yes the volume is huge and I think you'll have much more space up there.
In our case the space was limited and we could sell the pressed tailings.
But the amount of water from a press is great and clean(but yea costly).

I remember when we started to experiment with the polymers we added it at the end of the pipe to the pond and excavate it with an old link-belt drag-line because it would then build up in front of the pipe .

For guys interested and wonder what a filter-chamber-press is check HERE and HERE.. :drinkup

p.s Did you do work at the tailings division also be4 you went to the shovels?

 

[alco]

p.s Did you do work at the tailings division also be4 you went to the shovels?

Yes, I spent a few years in the tailings department.

 

[joncro55]

Screens?

Thanks tootalltimmy

I always google first

But right now I found just what i wanted to know on
THIS link.

The reason I was interested was, I use to work at a aggregate crush screen wash operation and we use to use tailing ponds also.
But when the operation was doing more and more tonnage the ponds couldn't keep up and we started to use polymers (volkulant) for quick settling and filter chamber presses that press the tailings to above 90% dry stuff.
And in that manner we got much more clean water back for washing and an easier to store and sell tailings.

The way we did it was different because we would add vlokulant when it got out of the pipe and put it in a settle basin and pump the settled tailings into storage tanks which fed the filter chamber presses.

What size wire screens were you using? And also, what alloy? Would they just use stainless steel 304 about the size of a window screen perhaps? Possibly like a 12 x 12 mesh in other words 12 wires per inch? Something like this:

http://www.bwire.com/

 

[CM1995]

Joncrow55, do you have an affiliation with bwire.com?:cool2