CLAIMS:

1 . An apparatus for dewatering a deposit, comprising: a plurality of cathodes, and a plurality of anodes, for deployment in the deposit with the plurality of anodes vertically displaced below the plurality of cathodes and with the plurality of cathodes and plurality of anodes being arranged so as to define a plurality of cathode-anode pairs; a plurality of non-conducting vertical electrode tethers for tethering the plurality of cathodes to the plurality of anodes and for permitting changing of the vertical displacement between the cathodes and anodes during dewatering operation of the apparatus deployment in the deposit; a plurality of non-conducting horizontal tethers for coupling each of the plurality of cathode-anode pairs to the rest of the plurality of cathode-anode pairs; a plurality of floats, the floats being selectively inflatable and deflatable; and a plurality of non-conductive float tethers for tethering the plurality of floats to the plurality of cathodes to permit the vertical position of the cathodes and anodes in the deposit to be adjusted by selective inflation and deflation of the floats during dewatering operation; and a power supply and distribution system for providing power to the cathodes and anodes to facilitate dewatering of the deposit.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising at least one tensioning apparatus, coupled to at least one of the horizontal tethers, for applying tension to the plurality of horizontal tethers to adjust the positions of the cathodes and anodes in the deposit.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the tensioning apparatus comprises at least one winch.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the power supply and distribution system comprises a plurality of solar panels adapted to float on the deposit, the plurality

AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19) of solar panels being electrically connected to the plurality of cathodes and to the plurality of anodes.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the power supply and distribution system comprises a power supply outside the deposit and power cabling electrically connecting the power supply to the plurality of cathodes and the plurality of anodes.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each anode comprises: a plurality of mutually spaced conductive bands arranged in parallel such that current is distributed among the plurality of bands, the conductive bands having surfaces at which electrochemical reactions occur, at least one insulated supplementary conductor connected intermittently to the plurality of bands; and at least two non-conductive spacers for maintaining the position and mutual spacing of the conductive bands.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein each spacer connects the at least one supplementary conductor to each conductive band.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the at least one supplementary conductor is connected to the at least one DC power supply.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein each band comprises a titanium core coated with at least one metal oxide selected from the group consisting of Rb2O, RuO₂, lrO₂, PtO₂.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, further comprising: a plurality of external sleeves each surrounding one of the plurality of mutually spaced conductive bands, for trapping the gas in a space between the external sleeve and the corresponding mutually spaced conductive bands to prevent release of the gas

AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19) into the slurry while allowing water into the space, the external sleeve comprising an outer water-permeable geotextile membrane and a membrane support structure; at least one non-conductive spacer associated with each sleeve for maintaining the space between each and the corresponding external sleeve; and for maintaining the space between the electrode and the external sleeve; and at least one gas vent corresponding to each external sleeve for venting gas from the corresponding space out of the deposit.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the at least one spacer comprises one or more gas flow spaces to facilitate flow of the gas to the at least one gas vent.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the membrane support structure comprises a non-conducting mesh for supporting the membrane.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the geotextile membrane comprises pores for admitting water from the slurry to the space and excluding solids from the slurry from the space.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the gas vent vents gas to the atmosphere.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the gas vent vents gas to a collector, whereby the gas may be collected and used to generate energy or other productive uses.

16. A method of deploying an apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in a deposit wherein the deposit comprises a slurry and a water cap overlaying the slurry, wherein a border between the water cap and slurry defines a mudline , the method comprising the steps of: positioning the dewatering apparatus at an edge of the deposit outside of the deposit;

AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19) connecting the dewatering apparatus to at least one pulling apparatus; using the at least one pulling apparatus to draw in stages the dewatering apparatus into the deposit; using the at least one pulling apparatus to draw the dewatering apparatus across the surface of the deposit to a dewatering position; and . deflating the plurality of floats until the plurality of floats are positioned on a surface of the mudline, with the plurality of cathodes positioned at a first cathode position below the mudline and the plurality of anodes positioned in the slurry below the first cathode position.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the method further comprises the steps of: transporting a plurality of partially assembled cathode-anode pairs and floats to the edge of a deposit;

(a) positioning the plurality of partially assembled cathode-anode pairs and floats along the edge with each of the plurality of cathode-anode pairs spaced from adjacent cathode-anode pairs at a distance equal to a predetermined horizontal separation between each cathode-anode pair during operation;

(b) attaching the horizontal tethers to adjacent cathodes at a predetermined interval along the length of the cathode;

(c) attaching a leading end of each cathode in each cathode-anode pair to at least one cable connecting to the at least one pulling apparatus;

(d) simultaneously pulling all of the cathode-anode pair partially into the deposit until a position for a plurality of floating solar panels to be connected to the plurality of cathode-anode pairs is reached;

(e) making all electrical connections between a plurality of floating solar panels and the plurality of cathodes and anodes; repeating steps (a) though (e) until the full length of the plurality of cathodeanode pairs and the plurality of solar panels have been drawn into the deposit; drawing the assembled components across the surface of the deposit using the at least one pulling apparatus until the dewatering position is reached;

AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19) partially deflating the plurality of floats until the plurality of floats is floating on the mudline, with the plurality of cathodes and anodes positioned below the mudline and the solar panels positioned above floating on the surface of the deposit; and securing the apparatus in place.

18. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the positioning step comprises positioning the dewatering apparatus on a mounting apparatus at an edge of the deposit outside of the deposit.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the mounting apparatus comprises at least one spool.

20. A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the mounting apparatus comprises at least one rack.

21. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the method further comprises the step of inflating the plurality of floats to cause the plurality of cathodes to move upward from the first cathode position to a second cathode position that is below the mudline.

22. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the method further comprises the step of inflating the plurality of floats to cause the plurality of cathodes to move upward from the first cathode position to a cathode position that is above the mudline.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the method further comprises the step of inflating the plurality of floats to cause the plurality of cathodes to move upward from the second cathode position to a cathode position that is above the mudline.

24. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the method further comprises the step of adjusting the horizontal position of the apparatus by: inflating the plurality of floats; using the at least one pulling apparatus to draw the apparatus across the surface of the deposit until the desired new position is reached; and;

AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19) deflating the floats.

25. A method of operating an apparatus as claimed in claim 1 deployed in the deposit, the method comprising the steps of: powering the plurality of anodes and the plurality of cathodes to pass direct electric current through a portion of the deposit between the plurality of anodes and the plurality of cathodes; maintaining moderate tension on the horizontal tethers to permit the plurality of cathodes and plurality of anodes to rise and fall as the mudline rises and falls due to consolidation of the deposit and the addition of fresh material to the deposit.

26. An apparatus for capturing gas produced by an electrode during electrokinetic reactions, wherein the electrode is positioned in a deposit of slurry, the apparatus comprising: an external sleeve, surrounding the electrode, for trapping the gas in a space between the external sleeve and the electrode to prevent its release into the slurry while allowing water into the space, the external sleeve comprising an outer water-permeable geotextile membrane and a membrane support structure; at least one non-conductive spacer for maintaining the space between the electrode and the external sleeve; and at least one gas vent for venting gas from the space out of the deposit.

27. An apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein the at least one spacer comprises one or more gas flow spaces to facilitate flow of the gas to the at least one gas vent.

28. An apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein the membrane comprises pores for admitting water from the slurry to the space and excluding solids from the slurry from the space.

29. An apparatus for use in dewatering a deposit by means of electrokinetic processes, the apparatus comprising:

AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19) an electrode for positioning in the deposit, comprising a plurality of mutually spaced conductive bands arranged in parallel such that current is distributed among the plurality of bands, the conductive bands having surfaces at which electrochemical reactions occur; at least one insulated supplementary conductor; at least two non-conductive spacers for maintaining the position and mutual spacing of the conductive bands, each spacer connecting the at least one supplementary conductor to the conductive bands intermittently along a length of the conductive bands; and a power connector for connecting DC power to the conductive bands and the at least one supplementary conductor.

30. An apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein the electrode is an anode.

31. An apparatus as claimed in claim 30, wherein each band comprises a titanium core coated with at least one metal oxide selected from the group consisting of Rb2O, RuO₂, lrO₂, PtO₂.

AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19)