Separating organic material from tar sands or oil shale

A method of agglomerating and separating siliceous solids from hydrocarbons of intimate mixtures thereof, the solids being in finely divided form, and further recovering hydrocarbons, the process comprising:

• a. distributing an organic solvent or diluent for the hydrocarbon into a feed mixture comprising siliceous solids and hydrocarbons, in sufficient amounts to dissolve or disperse the hydrocarbons and provide a liquid slurry,
• b. providing an aqueous agglomerating liquid for the siliceous solids in the diluted mixture in total amounts of from about 8 to about 50% by wt. of the feed mixture, the amount being selected within said range to enable agglomerates to form of at least about 2 mm. diameter but insufficient to form large soft agglomerates, said aqueous liquid being substantially insoluble in the solvent or diluent and having an affinity for the siliceous solids,
• c. agitating the multi-phase diluted mixture severely enough and for a sufficient time to intimately contact the aqueous liquid and the siliceous solids, continuing and controlling the agitation to provide a rolling or tumbling motion until the aqueous liquid and the hydrophilic siliceous solids form into discrete compact agglomerates of at least about 2 mm. diameter,
• d. separating the compact agglomerates from the organic phase by screening or by density difference, and
• e. recovering said hydrocarbons and solvent or diluent.