Abstract: A method of increasing a dwell time of a slurry facility at a given ore processing location by using a mobile oil sands mining system. The method involves coordinating the operation of at least two mining conveyors to facilitate mining at least one arc-shaped sector of ore that otherwise would not be within operational reach of the slurry facility at the ore processing location. The method increases the slurry facility's operational time at the ore processing location before relocation thereof is required to keep the slurry facility within operational reach of at least one receding mine face.

Abstract: A method of increasing a dwell time of a slurry facility at a given ore processing location by using a mobile oil sands mining system. The method involves coordinating the operation of at least two mining conveyors to facilitate mining at least one arc-shaped sector of ore that otherwise would not be within operational reach of the slurry facility at the ore processing location. The method increases the slurry facility's operational time at the ore processing location before relocation thereof is required to keep the slurry facility within operational reach of at least one receding mine face.

Abstract: A process line for excavating and processing oil sands ore near a mine face. A mobile excavator excavates ore along the length of a mobile mining conveyor. A mobile comminutor receives and comminutes the excavated ore and transfers the comminuted ore to the mobile mining conveyor. The mobile mining conveyor conveys the comminuted ore to a transfer conveyor that conveys the comminuted ore to a mobile slurry facility. The mobile slurry facility combines the comminuted ore with process water to produce a slurry and pumps and conditions the slurry through a hydro-transport pipeline to a mobile extraction facility as a slurry feed. The mobile extraction facility receives the slurry feed and directs the slurry feed and a water stream as inputs to a three stage countercurrent cyclone separator. The cyclone separator produces a bitumen rich stream and a tailings stream.

Abstract: A relocatable oil sand slurry preparation system is provided for preparing an aqueous oil sand slurry amenable to pipeline conveyance while producing minimum overall rejects, comprising (a) a relocatable rotary digester for slurrying oil sand and water and digesting oil sand lumps to form a pumpable slurry, the rotary digester having a feed end for receiving oil sand and water, a slurrying chamber comprising a plurality of lifters for slurrying the oil sand and water, and a trommel screen end for screening out oversize rejects from the oil sand slurry which falls through the trommel screen; and (b) a relocatable rejects recirculation unit operably associated with the rotary digester for receiving oversize rejects and delivering the rejects back to the rotary digester for further digestion. In a preferred body, relocatable oil sand slurry preparation system further comprises a rejects crusher for crushing oversize rejects prior to delivering rejects back to the rotary digester.