Apparatus for separating oil and precious metals from mined oil-bearing rock material
OwnerJay P. Nielsoninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for producing oil, bitumen, precious metals, and hydrocarbon gases from mined oil-bearing rock material, such as tar sands and soil shale. The rock is ground, preconditioned in a heated and pressurized atmosphere devoid of oxygen, and subsequently centrifuged in the presence of an oil-replacement gas to produce oil, and also any precious metal particles that are present in the oil-bearing rock material. The produced oil and precious metals are subsequently separated from each other by centrifuging.
Claims24
Apparatus for continuously producing oil and hydrocarbon gases from oil-bearing rock material, comprising a kiln for producing hydrocarbon gases and conditioning said oil-bearing rock material in a conditioning atmosphere of a heated and pressurized conditioning gas substantially devoid of oxygen;
- means for introducing a conditioning gas into said kiln;
- a centrifuge for subjecting said conditioned oil-bearing rock material to centrifugal force, thereby producing oil intermixed with any precious metal particles associated with said oil in said rock material, leaving spent rock;
- means for introducing oil replacement gas into said centrifuge under pressure so as to subject said conditioned oil-bearing rock material to said pressurized oil-replacement gas within said centrifuge;
- means for enclosing said conditioned oil-bearing rock material and for conveying it from said kiln to said centrifuge;
- a feed screw conveyor adapted to move said oil-bearing rock material and spent rock axially along said centrifuge;
- means for collecting the produced oil and any intermixed precious metals;
- and means for discharging and accumulating said spent rock separately from said produced oil.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.