Abstract: Earth and sand containing bitumen, tar, and/or oil is broken down to particle sizes that can be suspended in water as a carrier for the particles, so that the suspension can be pumped upwardly through an inclined duct or separator where the suspended particles are subjected to horizontal ultrasonic vibrations of between about 18 and 27 kiloHertz for a period between about 5 and 10 minutes. These vibrations completely separate the hydrocarbons from the earth and sand, and entrap gases in the heavier-than-water hydrocarbons so that all the hydrocarbons float to the top of the duct or ultrasonic separator to form a layer which can easily be withdrawn. The cleaned earth and solid particles settle behind a baffled and perforated partition along and above the lower side of the duct or unit, from which lower side these cleaned particles can be removed.

Abstract: A sonic treating apparatus in which sheet material is immersed in a shallow tank between sonic treating vibrators along opposite parallel sides thereof, which vibrators produce a horizontally sonic vibrating treating liquid in the tank. The sheets to be treated are supported with their planes horizontal and conveyed in this horizontal plane through the treating liquid transversely of its sonic vibrations so that two opposite edges of the horizontal sheets pass along and adjacent to the sonic vibrators. The conveyor may comprise a treating-liquid-resistant sprocket chain conveyor upon which the sheets rest. The sonic vibrators vibrate at a preset frequency between about 18 and 50 kilohertz and preferably between about 20 and 27 kilohertz. The treating liquid usually is for cleaning the sheets and may be an acid pickling solution for steel or phosphate coating solution, and the solution may be maintained at a predetermined elevated temperature by circulation through a heat exchanger.