A water-based extraction process for extracting bitumen from mined oil is provided comprising providing a water-based mixture containing bitumen; and introducing nanobubbles to the mixture to attach to bitumen and, thereby, extract the bitumen from the water-based mixture, wherein a nanobubble has a diameter of less than 5,000 nm.

A water-based extraction process for extracting bitumen from mined oil is provided comprising providing a water-based mixture containing bitumen; and introducing nanobubbles to the mixture to attach to bitumen and, thereby, extract the bitumen from the water-based mixture, wherein a nanobubble has a diameter of less than 5,000 nm.

A process for the ultrasonic treatment of mined sand proppant for hydraulic fracture treatment, the process comprising the steps of pumping sand particles in an aqueous fluid to an ultrasonic device operating at a suitable frequency and a suitable power range. The sand particles remain at a proximity to the ultrasonic device for a first predetermined period of time to remove contaminants from the sand particles.

A process for the ultrasonic treatment of mined sand proppant for hydraulic fracture treatment, the process comprising the steps of pumping sand particles in an aqueous fluid to an ultrasonic device operating at a suitable frequency and a suitable power range. The sand particles remain at a proximity to the ultrasonic device for a first predetermined period of time to remove contaminants from the sand particles.

A reduced velocity tailings distributor is provided that has been designed to create a sheet flow of tailings, thereby allowing for greater sedimentation and fines capture closer to the discharge points of the distributor.

A reduced velocity tailings distributor is provided that has been designed to create a sheet flow of tailings, thereby allowing for greater sedimentation and fines capture closer to the discharge points of the distributor.

A process for improving the dewatering characteristic of tailings is provided comprising adding flue-gas desulfurization (FGD) solids, produced when using calcium oxide to remove sulfur dioxide from flue gas or emissions, to the tailings.

A process for improving the dewatering characteristic of tailings is provided comprising adding flue-gas desulfurization (FGD) solids, produced when using calcium oxide to remove sulfur dioxide from flue gas or emissions, to the tailings.

A modular quality improvement process and quality improvement system for high density coal measures oil shale. The process comprises: performing separation on the material with a particle size larger than 13 mm by an air dense medium fluidized bed, performing separation on the material with a particle size equal to or less than 13 mm and larger than 6 mm by an air dense medium fluidized bed, performing separation on the material with a particle size equal to or less than 6 mm and larger than 3 mm by a vibrated dense medium fluidized bed, and performing separation on the material with a particle size equal to or less than 3 mm by a vibrated fluidized bed, and recovery of a medium by magnetic separation for use as a circulating medium.

A method for recovering fine tailings from a tailings pond includes selecting a desired density of fine tailings to be removed from the tailings pond. Positioning a hollow shell having a closed bottom and holes formed through a sidewall of the shell within the tailings pond such that the holes are located at a depth of a layer of the fine tailings of the desired density and such that a top of the shell is disposed above a free water surface of the pond. Causing a flow of the fine tailings of the desired density through the holes into into the shell and removing the fine tailings of the desired density from within the shell.