Abstract: A process for separating substantially dry asphaltenes of high softening point from heavy hydrocarbon material comprising:(a) admixing heavy hydrocarbon material containing asphaltenes with a solution of deasphalted oil and an aliphatic hydrocarbon precipitant in a first mixing zone to form a mixture and precipitate asphaltenes;(b) in a first separation zone the mixture from step (a) into (i) a first solution of deasphalted oil and precipitant and (ii) a slurry of solid asphaltene particles in a solution of precipitant and desasphalted oil;(c) separating the first solution of step (b) to obtain said precipitant and the deasphalted oil almost free of asphaltenes;(d) introducing the slurry of asphaltenes of step (b) into a second mixing zone and washing the slurry with a volume of fresh precipitant to remove deasphalted oil;(e) introducing the mixture from the second mixing zone into a second separation zone that comprises a centrifugal decanter to separate a liquid phase from a highly concentrated slurry of so