Process for extracting hydrocarbons from diatomite

An improved process for extracting hydrocarbons from a diatomite ore which comprises in combination the steps of:

• a) reducing the particle size of the ore to form a processed ore;
• b) grinding the processed ore in an enclosed pin mixer without a binder and without drying step to form pelletized ore, wherein the addition of water is optional;
• c) feeding the pelletized ore into each section or cell of a rotating extractor unit capable of countercurrent extraction and containing 5-8 sections to form a column of pelletized ore in each section;
• d) distributing a solvent from the top of each section of the rotating extractor consecutively, counterclockwise to the rotation of the extractor, and allowing the solvent to permeate the pelletized ore column in each section to form a hydrocarbon-rich solvent stream while leaving behind extracted spent ore mixture wherein the extraction cycle for each section within the extraction comprises:
• a) loading pelletized ore into the basket;
• b) solvent extracting in 5-8 stages counter-currently;
• c) draining the extracted ore;
• d) dumping the spent ore from the basket for removal from the extractor enclosure;
• and
• e) transporting to a desolventizer, wherein the solvent is initially nonindigenous to the extracted hydrocarbon and is subsequently diluted with extracted hydrocarbon and becomes indigenous to the extracted hydrocarbon as the cycle continues;
• e) separating the hydrocarbon solvent stream to form a hydrocarbon product stream and an extracting solvent stream;
• f) removing the spent ore mixture from the extracting zone;
• g) recycling the extracting solvent;
• and
• h) recovering the hydrocarbon product.