Improved process for treating aqueous mineral suspensions

A process for flocculating and dewatering oil sands fine tailings, comprising the steps:

• i providing an in-line flow of an aqueous suspension of oil sands fine tailings through a pipe, said pipe having an internal diameter,
• ii introducing a flocculant composition comprising a poly(ethylene oxide) (co)polymer into the aqueous suspension of oil sands fine tailings,
• iii mixing the flocculant composition and the aqueous suspension of oil sands fine tailings without static or dynamic mixers for a period of time sufficient to form a dough-like material,
• iv introducing the dough-like material into an in-line reactor through the pipe wherein the internal diameter of the in-line reactor is equal to or less than five times the internal diameter of the pipe,
• v subjecting the dough-like material to dynamic mixing within the in-line reactor for a period of time sufficient to break down the dough-like material to form microflocs, wherein the resulting flocculated oil sands tailings has a viscosity equal to or less than 1,000 cP and a yield stress of equal to or less than 300 Pa, and said microflocs have an average size of from 1 to 500 microns,
• vi flowing the flocculated oil sands fine tailings from the in-line reactor through a pipe or one or more static mixer or a combination of piping and one or more static mixer and
• vii further treating or depositing the flocculated oil sands fine tailings.