Multivalent metals in oilsands bitumen can be present in metal-bridged structures that keep smaller molecules together. Oilsands bitumen, maltenes, and asphaltenes were treated with hydrochloric acid to remove metals from these materials and evaluate the hypothesis that metals removal would improve asphaltenes to maltenes transformation. Single step acid treatment was effective for metal removal, particularly from asphaltenes. About 2600 mu g/g divalent metals could be removed from the asphaltenes by washing with a 1 N HCl solution in a 4:1 mass ratio with the asphaltenes. Acid washing also resulted in some ester hydrolysis. Around 8 wt % of the asphaltenes fraction consisted of maltenes that were in the asphaltenes fraction as result of bridging and that could be returned to the maltenes fraction by acid treatment. It was estimated that the average molecular mass of these molecules liberated by acid treatment was of the order 700 g/mol. Water and/or acid washing did not meaningfully remove V and Ni. Multivalent metals were present predominantly in the organic phase, not in the connate water, and were removed mainly by acid washing. Water washing was deleterious and promoted emulsion formation. It was proposed that a pH-sensitive change in the relative concentration of phenol and phenoxide groups to increase the concentration of hydrophilic phenoxide groups was responsible for increased emulsion formation, and spectroscopic evidence in support of this was presented.