02 / PROCESS
A resource needs
a route.
The right process depends on the feedstock, intended product and local operating constraints. Start with a testable flowsheet, not a preferred machine.
Measure the transformations.
Every step consumes material, time, energy, reagents or capital. A credible pathway describes what enters, what leaves, what is lost and where the material fails to meet specification.
ROUTE FAMILIES
Different materials. Different tests.
Can value be concentrated before chemical treatment?
Size distribution, liberation, recovery, concentrate qualityWhat temperature and atmosphere produce the desired phase?
Energy balance, emissions, throughput, materials handlingCan target material be selectively dissolved and recovered?
Reagent use, kinetics, impurity removal, water treatmentCan a product or energy carrier be made to specification?
Efficiency, durability, product purity, independent validationDoes combining steps improve total recovery and cost?
Integrated mass balance and operating tradeoffsTESTING LADDER
Bench evidence is not a plant.
- Characterize: define representative feed and the buyer's target specification.
- Bench test: measure recovery, consumption and product quality under controlled conditions.
- Pilot: operate integrated steps long enough to expose handling and stability issues.
- Engineer: develop equipment sizing, site services, permitting and cost ranges.
- Qualify: supply product samples for independent customer acceptance.
Progress through the ladder depends on the technology and the buyer. These stages are a planning framework, not a certification.
THE FAILURE QUESTION
What result would make you change the process?
Write a decision threshold before the next test. That makes a negative test useful and prevents a project from becoming attached to its first flowsheet.
Use the evidence register ↗