Evaluating Performance of Hierarchical Scheduling Frameworks for Varying Matte Grades in Copper Smelting Process

In the copper smelting process, a significant amount of copper is lost during copper production. The increasing demand for copper in various industries and the depletion of high-quality copper ores have accentuated the need to design innovative scheduling frameworks that minimize copper losses in the copper smelting process and ensure longterm benefits. One crucial factor influencing copper losses is the selection of matte grade. While previous studies have predominantly concentrated on enhancing throughput and batch time in the copper smelting process, they often overlooked the critical aspect of matte grade selection. This study conducts a sensitivity analysis of two hierarchical scheduling frameworks specifically designed for the copper smelting process. The objective is to compare their impact on copper losses and identify the framework that optimizes processes better through diverse matte-grade selections.