Abstract: A process for de-oiling mill sludge employs the steps of admixing mill sludge with water and surface active agent to form a mill sludge slurry which is subjected to high shear agitation to form an oily water emulsion. Then at least 40 weight percent of the solids present in the mill sludge treated is separated from the oily water emulsion.

Abstract: A process for de-oiling mill scale which comprises(a) collecting mill scale and analyzing for oil content; and then(b) slurrying the portion of mill scale containing more than 0.5 weight percent oil in water to achieve an aqueous mill scale slurry having at least 25 weight percent solids content; and then(c) high shear agitating the aqueous mill scale slurry to form a reduced oil mill scale suspension in an oily water emulsion; and then(d) phase separating the reduced oil mill scale from the oily water emulsion forming a reduced oil mill scale and an oily water emulsion; and then(e) fresh water rinsing the reduced oil mill scale to form an oil-free mill scale and a waste wash water; and then(f) recycling the waste wash water to form at least a portion of the aqueous mill scale slurry of step b; and then(g) repeating steps (a) through (f) until the oil-free mill scale contains less than 0.