METHOD AND MEANS FOR RECOVERING HYDROCARBONS FROM OIL SANDS BY UNDERGROUND MINING

摘要

The present invention is directed generally to the combined use of slurrymining and hydrocyclones to recover hydrocarbons, such as bitumen, fromhydrocarbon-containing materials, such as oil sands, and to selective miningofvaluable materials, particularly hydrocarbon-containing materials, using aplurality ofexcavating devices and corresponding inputs for the excavated material. Theexcavated material captured by each input can be switched back-and-forthbetweentwo or more destinations depending on the value of the stream.