Process to separate bituminous material from sand (tar sands)

Bituminous sand such as oil sand or tar sand is mixed with a halogenated organic solvent which has a density greater than that of water at the same temperature. The slurry is continuously transferred to a conveyor system which is at least partially submerged in water, with the slurry being fed onto the portion of the conveyor which is submerged. As the sands move through the water on the conveyor, the organic solvent containing the bituminous material separates from the sand and forms a separate phase beneath the water. The sands ultimately move upwardly on the conveyor through the surface of the water. The organic phase is removed from beneath the water surface and the halogenated solvent is flashed therefrom in a flash evaporator chamber. Solvent vapors are withdrawn from the evaporator chamber by a compressor, and the compressed vapors are introduced into a condenser chamber. A heat exchange medium is continuously circulated between the condenser and evaporator chambers, with heat being transferred from the heat exchange medium in the evaporator and back to the heat exchange medium in the condenser. Bituminous organic material is withdrawn from the evaporator chamber and condensed solvent is recovered from the condenser. Preferably, the heat exchange means comprises a plurality of heat pipes, with mutually respective end portions of the heat pipes extending into the condenser chamber and the other end portions extending into the evaporator chamber.