Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
114 words
Method for the cleansing and decontamination of soil by (a) the extraction of soil contaminated principally by hydrocarbons or other organic material, heavy metals and/or cyanides, by mixing the contaminated soil with water of a certain pH as extractant, (b) separating the cleansed or at least partially cleansed soil from the water, (c) separating the contaminants from the water and (d) recirculating the water as extractant, characterized by an intensive washing of the soil, possibly pre-treated in sieves, by the aqueous extractant in a washer provided with stirrer, whereby the solids content is 60 - 80% by weight and the pH during and after washing is controlled according to the nature of the contaminants.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
114 words
Method for the cleansing and decontamination of soil by (a) the extraction of soil contaminated principally by hydrocarbons or other organic material, heavy metals and/or cyanides, by mixing the contaminated soil with water of a certain pH as extractant, (b) separating the cleansed or at least partially cleansed soil from the water, (c) separating the contaminants from the water and (d) recirculating the water as extractant, characterized by an intensive washing of the soil, possibly pre-treated in sieves, by the aqueous extractant in a washer provided with stirrer, whereby the solids content is 60 - 80% by weight and the pH during and after washing is controlled according to the nature of the contaminants.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
Method as in Claim 1 characterized by washing in the washer at a pH of 9 or more when the soil to be cleansed contains hydrocarbons and at a pH of 11 or more when the soil contains cyanides and heavy metals.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
Method as in Claims 1 and 2, characterized by the use of a scrubber as the washer with two or more compartments, each provided with a mechanical stirrer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
Method as in Claim 3, characterized by the use of an "attrition scrubber" as the scrubber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
Method as in Claims 1-4, characterized by the oxidation of cyanides in the washer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
Equipment for the implementation of a method according to Claims I - 5, characterized by the fact that the various component parts such as the scrubber, pump tank, separator, buffer vessel, mixing vessel, second separator and floatation tank are assembled in transportable containers.