A research plan has been developed for the evaluation of the chemical and physical properties of tar sand that will aid in the development of a site-specific tar sand recovery process. Four broad research areas have been identified. The first is the continued evaluation of feedstocks and products from thermal recovery processes. Four broad research areas have been identified. The first is the continued evaluation of feedstocks and products from thermal recovery processes. this work is conducted to aid in evaluating process development and determining production mechanisms. the second area of research concerns the development of advanced nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques. Currently, NMR techniques can be used to monitor the change in carbon types during processing and to determine average structural parameters necessary for mathematical model development. The extension of this technique to the identification, quantification, and tracking of the conversion of hereoatom-containing compounds during thermal recovery processing would add greater insight into the reaction mechanisms involved during processing. The third area involves a detailed investigation of the bonding interactions that are present between the bitumen and the mineral matrix in tar sand. in addition, an extensive survey of trace metals in tar sands is proposed because co-recovery of strategic and/or critical metals with the oil may improve economic viability of recovery processes and mitigate environmental effects. the fourth area concerns evaluating the appropriate end use of product oils from tar sands. the possible uses could be as asphalts, conventional transportation fuels, and/or advanced aviation turbine fuels.