Data in existence in the open literature or in unclassified company reports on the physical, chemical and microbiological characteristics of Alberta's oil sands clay tailings are reviewed. Treatment and disposal procedures for these tailings, as well as for clay tailings from other industries, are discussed. Tailings disposal requirements, particularly those of an environmental nature, are appraised for in-situ and other oil sands bitumen recovery operations currently being considered as alternatives to the hot water process for mineable deposits. General background to the disposal problems is provided in brief descriptions of the extractive processes involved, as well as in an Appendix summarizing the structure and properties of clay minerals.