Methods are provided for treating intimately dispersed mixtures of water, bitumen, and fine clay particles, such as oil sands mature fine tailings (MFT). Select methods use dissolved silicate ions and a base (alkali), optionally in combination with a biopolymer, to flocculate a slurry. A mixing regime is disclosed involving the addition to MFT of silicate ions in solution and alkali, to initiate aggregation/destabilization of clay particles. Methods are exemplified that provide distinct sediment layers in conjunction with the release of residual bitumen (for example 40-50% of the initial bitumen content). In these exemplified embodiments, a densely packed bottom layer containing ˜75 wt. % solids showed high yield stress values (3.5-5.5 kPa) and entrapped little residual bitumen (0.2-0.3 wt. %). The methods accordingly segregate a material suitable for reclamation.

Methods of treating animal organic material are disclosed herein. The methods include diluting the animal organic material to produce an organic material slurry, anaerobically digesting the organic material slurry to produce a biogas and a digestate, separating the digestate to produce a digestate solids and a filtrate, removing ammonia from the filtrate, removing organic contaminants and divalent anions from the filtrate, concentrating the filtrate to produce a retentate and a permeate, combining the digestate solids and the retentate to produce a solids product, and returning the permeate to dilute the animal organic material. Systems for treatment of animal organic material are also disclosed herein. The systems include a dilution tank, an anaerobic digester, a first solids-liquid separation subsystem, an ammonia-reducing column, a second solids-liquid separation subsystem, a production water storage tank, and a solids product tank.

Compositions, systems, and methods of using alkaline-producing Aluminate salts in the sludge collection and digestion steps of wastewater processing to reduce acidity and/or build alkalinity, reduce hydrogen sulfide release, and reduce phosphate in the effluent.

The present invention discloses a process of disposal of tailings in piles stemming from the iron ore processing method, replacing dams, and comprising the steps of thickening the ultra-fine tailings, thickening the sandy tailings, mixing the tailings in the proportion of 80 to 90% by weight of sandy tailings and 10 to 20% by weight of ultra-fine tailings, addition of coagulant, addition of flocculant, filtering the mixture and piling the filtered tailings. Unlike traditional processes, this invention promotes an economically and technically feasible tailing disposal process that can be added to any conventional iron ore concentration plant without the need for any change in the process flowchart.

The Invention discloses an ecological remediation method for controlling sulphur pollution in black and odorous sludge of rivers. Firstly, the sludge from pollution layer of the rivers will be dredged and stacked on the banksides with slope protection built along the outer edge of the sludge storage site; then innocent pretreatment will be conducted for the sludge. Specific steps comprise solarization and ploughing, and mixed ameliorant of certain proportion will be added for modification between first solarization and intermittent ploughing. Then, large emergent aquatic plants will be planted on the stacked sludge after pretreatment. The technical method provided by the Invention may control the release of acid-volatile sulfide in the contaminated sludge on one hand and reduce concentration of volatile organic sulfide in the waters on the other hand. With simple technical process and strong operable technology, the Invention meets the current requirements for controlling sulphur pollution in black and odorous sludge of rivers in China and facilitates realizing the goal of long-term control of sulphur pollution in the deposit of the waters.

The Invention discloses an ecological remediation method for controlling sulphur pollution in black and odorous sludge of rivers. Firstly, the sludge from pollution layer of the rivers will be dredged and stacked on the banksides with slope protection built along the outer edge of the sludge storage site; then innocent pretreatment will be conducted for the sludge. Specific steps comprise solarization and ploughing, and mixed ameliorant of certain proportion will be added for modification between first solarization and intermittent ploughing. Then, large emergent aquatic plants will be planted on the stacked sludge after pretreatment. The technical method provided by the Invention may control the release of acid-volatile sulfide in the contaminated sludge on one hand and reduce concentration of volatile organic sulfide in the waters on the other hand. With simple technical process and strong operable technology, the Invention meets the current requirements for controlling sulphur pollution in black and odorous sludge of rivers in China and facilitates realizing the goal of long-term control of sulphur pollution in the deposit of the waters.

The present invention relates to a method for sludge safe disposal and resource recovery through sludge liquefaction and stratification. The method is to completely liquefy the organic matters in the sludge into soluble organic matters through a thermal-alkaline synergistic treatment. After the treatment, the sludge is stratified, and an anaerobic digestion is performed on a high-concentration soluble liquid of an upper layer to convert organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus into biogas, ammonia nitrogen and phosphate, a crude protein recovery is performed on a sludge protein of a middle layer, and a dewatering and a landfill on a sludge inorganic solid of a lower layer.

Methods and systems for treating oil sands tailings streams at an elevated pH using lime are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the method comprises providing a tailings stream including 10-55% solids by total weight, increasing the pH of the tailings stream by combining the tailings stream with lime to produce a lime-tailings mixture having a pH of at least 11.0, and dewatering the lime-tailings mixture to produce a first stream having 10% or less solids by total weight and a second stream having 50% or more solids by total weight. The first stream can correspond to a release water stream, and the second stream can correspond to a cake. The lime slurry can include about 10% lime by total weight, and can comprise lime hydrate, quicklime, or a combination thereof. Dewatering the lime-tailings mixture can include routing the lime-tailings mixture to a centrifuge unit and/or a pressure or vacuum filtration unit.

Methods and systems for treating oil sands tailings streams at an elevated pH using lime are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the method comprises providing a tailings stream including 10-55% solids by total weight, increasing the pH of the tailings stream by combining the tailings stream with lime to produce a lime-tailings mixture having a pH of at least 11.0, and dewatering the lime-tailings mixture to produce a first stream having 10% or less solids by total weight and a second stream having 50% or more solids by total weight. The first stream can correspond to a release water stream, and the second stream can correspond to a cake. The lime slurry can include about 10% lime by total weight, and can comprise lime hydrate, quicklime, or a combination thereof. Dewatering the lime-tailings mixture can include routing the lime-tailings mixture to a centrifuge unit and/or a pressure or vacuum filtration unit.

Compositions, systems, and methods of using alkaline-producing Aluminate salts in the sludge collection and digestion steps of wastewater processing to reduce acidity and/or build alkalinity, reduce hydrogen sulfide release, and reduce phosphate in the effluent.