NOVELTY - Recovery of the olefins from a methanol to olefins reactor effluent, involves: contacting an effluent from a methanol-to-olefins reactor system with an absorbent in an absorber demethanizer; separating the bottoms fraction; condensing the overheads vapor fraction in a first heat exchanger; condensing the condensed overhead vapor fraction in a second heat exchanger; separating non-condensed vapors from the liquids condensed in the first and second heat exchangers; feeding the overhead liquid fraction to the absorber demethanizer as a reflux; and combining the methane and ethane fractions.    USE - The process is useful for recovery of the olefins from a methanol to olefins reactor effluent, preferably for recovery of light olefins from a mixed hydrocarbon stream (claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The process has improved separations efficiency, increased ethylene recovery, reduced capital expenses (piece count), and/or reduced operating expenses (comprising energy consumption and maintenance).    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Recovery of the olefins from a methanol to olefins reactor effluent, involves: feeding an effluent from a methanol-to-olefins reactor system comprising methane, ethylene, and ethane to an absorber demethanizer; contacting at least a portion of the effluent with an absorbent in the absorber demethanizer to recover an overheads vapor fraction comprising methane and ethylene and a bottoms fraction comprising the absorbent, ethylene, and ethane; separating the bottoms fraction via one or more extractive distillation and/or distillation stages to recover an ethylene fraction and an ethane fraction; cooling and partially condensing the overheads vapor fraction in a first heat exchanger to a temperature of -40 degrees C or greater; cooling and partially condensing at least a portion of the cooled and partially condensed overhead vapor fraction, via indirect heat exchange with a mixed refrigerant comprising methane and ethane, in a second heat exchanger to a temperature of less than -40 degrees C; separating non-condensed vapors from the liquids condensed in the first and second heat exchangers to form an overhead liquid fraction and a methane fraction; feeding the overhead liquid fraction to the absorber demethanizer as a reflux; and combining at least a portion of the methane and ethane fractions to form the mixed refrigerant. An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for a system for the conversion of methanol to olefins and recovery of the olefins, comprising: a methanol-to-olefins reactor system for converting methanol to a reactor effluent comprising methane, ethylene, and ethane; an absorber demethanizer for contacting at least a portion of the reactor effluent with an absorbent and to recover an overheads vapor fraction comprising methane and ethylene and a bottoms fraction comprising the absorbent, ethylene, and ethane; one or more extractive distillation and/or distillation stages for separating the bottoms fraction to recover an ethylene fraction and an ethane fraction; a first heat exchanger for cooling and partially condensing the overheads vapor fraction to a temperature of -40 degrees C or greater; a second heat exchanger for cooling and partially condensing at least a portion of the cooled and partially condensed overhead vapor fraction via indirect heat exchange with a mixed refrigerant comprising methane and ethane, to a temperature of less than -40 degrees C; a separator for separating non-condensed vapors from the liquids condensed in the first and second heat exchangers to form an overhead liquid fraction and a methane fraction; a flow line for feeding the overhead liquid fraction to the absorber demethanizer as a reflux; and a flow line, vessel, or mixing chamber for combining at least a portion of the methane and ethane fractions to form the mixed refrigerant.