20120312723 | MECHANICAL PROCESSING OF OIL SANDS - A method of extracting bitumen from oil sands having a transition temperature at which the oil sands solidify includes forming formable oil sands into pellets and cooling at least a surface of the pellets sufficiently to prevent the pellets from aggregating; cooling the pellets to below the transition temperature; fracturing the pellets to release the bitumen from the oil sands while maintaining the temperature of the pellets below the transition temperature; and separating the bitumen from the oil sands in a separator. | 12-13-2012 |