Settler for decanting mineral slurries and method for separating clarified liquid from thickened slurry of said mineral slurries

A settler (201) for decanting mineral slurries comprising a tank (203) having a side wall (205), a bottom (207) and a top (209), an outlet (211) for a thickened slurry at the bottom of the tank, a first overflow outlet (213) for withdrawing an overflow stream of a clarified liquid, a slurry inlet means (215) for introducing fresh slurry into the tank, the slurry inlet means (215) having a slurry opening (261) through which fresh slurry joins a body of slurry in the tank, and a stirrer (217) having a vertical axis (239) around which the stirrer rotates or reciprocates, in said settler the slurry opening (261) is displaced laterally relative to said vertical axis of the stirrer and said slurry inlet means (215) comprises mixing means (251). A separation installation comprising the above settler and a method for separating a clarified liquid from a thickened slurry of a mineral slurry.