Abstract: Viscous petroleum including bitumen may be recovered for subterranean petroleum containing unconsolidated said formations such as tar sand deposits by hydraulic mining. Hot water or steam is introduced into the subterranean deposit with sufficient velocity to dislodge bitumen and particles of sand therefrom. The process is a single wellbore operation using rotatable vertically moveable injection string with one or more jets near the bottom thereof, with separate return flow path to surface, the inlet to which may be on the bottom of the injection string. Injection string may be raised or lowered while rotating and jetting so full vertical thickness of tar sand interval is contacted by aqueous mining fluid. Jet pump may be used to pump petroleum to surface. Injected aqueous hydraulic mining fluid may contain alkaline material such as sodium hydroxide or ammonium hydroxide.