Extraction process and apparatus for hydrocarbon containing ores

A hydrocarbon extraction process for removing hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon containing ore comprising the steps of:

• crushing and drying a hydrocarbon containing ore comprising diatomite ore to remove water from the ore and produce an extractable ore comprising a portion of fines;
• mixing the extractable ore with a carrier comprising an aromatic solvent and a granular material of sufficient size to increase the permeability of the diatomite ore to the solvent to form a flowable ore stream;
• passing a nonaqueous solvent comprising additional aromatic solvent in substantially vertical countercurrent flow through the ore stream to contact the aromatic solvent with the ore in the ore stream and form a product-solvent stream comprising hydrocarbons, solvent and a portion of fines and a spent ore stream comprising spent ore, solvent and any remaining fines;
• reducing the flow rate of the product-solvent stream by changing the cross-sectional flow volume of the product-solvent stream to reduce the portion of any fines in the product-solvent stream to facilitate separation of the nonaqueous solvent from the product-solvent stream while leaving sufficient fines to facilitate formation of a solvent upgraded hydrocarbon stream;
• recycling a portion of the product-solvent stream to mix with the extractable ore in forming the flowable ore stream;
• separating nonaqueous solvent comprising an aromatic solvent from the product-solvent stream to produce a hydrocarbon stream;
• mixing the hydrocarbon stream with a paraffinic solvent in the presence of fines to produce a solvent upgraded hydrocarbon stream and a heavy stream comprising asphalt and substantially all of the fines;
• and
• recovering the nonaqueous solvent comprising an aromatic solvent from the spent ore stream.