Optimizing a stepwise fractionation chain in mineral processing or metallurgy

This paper presents a framework of optimization of design and operation of a chain of identical cells or operator units that splits a raw input stream into two streams, increasing their total monetary value. This can be seen as a simplified conceptualization of several mineral processing or metallurgical techniques, where a cell itself badly separates the stream, hence its repeated operation seems appropriate. The solution is based on standard theory of linear differential equations. Uncertainty in the composition of the feed can be accounted for by Monte Carlo techniques.