Refinery

EDFM // Mining

A refinery processes mined fragments into cargo.

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Draft

This article is still being written and may be incomplete.

Uncertain: Exact per-variant outfitting statistics and bin-management edge cases still need direct Live-game verification.

Status

Draft

Last reviewed

2026-08-24

Reviewer

Sythan

Game mode

Both

Version coverage

unspecified

Source quality

EDCD outfitting data plus current mining workflow research

Known uncertainty

Exact per-variant outfitting statistics and bin-management edge cases still need direct Live-game verification.

Refinery

No image available

MODULE

Module class

Mining support module

Slot type

Optional internal

Mount

Multiple classes and ratings

Availability

Standard outfitting module family

Engineering

Needs verification

Related modules

Mining Laser, Prospector Limpet Controller, Collector Limpet Controller, Cargo Rack

The Refinery converts collected mining fragments into whole tonnes of cargo. It is required for ordinary mining profits because loose fragments are not saleable cargo until they have been processed.

Draft: This article is still a work in progress and may be incomplete. You can help improve it by adding or expanding its content.

Mining role

Mining role

Converts collected mining fragments into whole tonnes of cargo.

Used by

—

Notes

More bins make mixed-fragment mining easier; a full cargo hold or blocked bins can stop refining.

The refinery is shared by Laser Mining, Core Mining, Sub-surface Mining, and Surface Deposit Mining. Collectors deliver fragments or chunks to the ship, and the refinery fills bins until a full tonne can be moved into cargo.

Operating notes

• More bins make mixed-fragment mining easier because several partial commodities can be held at once.
• A full cargo hold can stop the refinery from completing new tonnes.
• Unwanted or low-priority fragments may need to be ignored or vented so useful commodities can continue processing.
• The refinery does not choose profitable cargo by itself; the commander still has to plan the run and check market demand.

Related Field Procedures

• How to Core Mine (Draft) — Identify core asteroids, place seismic charges, crack the asteroid safely, and collect exposed deposits.
• How to Ignore Unwanted Mining Commodities (Draft) — Use the contacts and refinery workflow to stop collector limpets from repeatedly bringing in fragments you do not want to keep.
• How to Laser Mine (Draft) — Extract surface fragments from asteroids with mining lasers, collect them with limpets, and refine useful commodities.
• How to Mine Surface Deposits (Draft) — Break surface deposits from asteroids with an abrasion blaster and collect the resulting materials or commodities.
• How to Resolve a Full Refinery (Draft) — Clear blocked refinery bins and cargo problems so mining can continue without losing valuable fragments unnecessarily.
• How to Start Mining (Draft) — Prepare a ship for a first mining run and complete the basic loop of finding, extracting, refining, and selling mined commodities.
• How to Sub-surface Mine (Draft) — Extract sub-surface deposits from asteroids with displacement missiles and collect the released chunks.
• How to Use Collector Limpets (Draft) — Deploy collector limpets efficiently and avoid common mistakes that destroy limpets or slow collection.
• How to Use a Refinery (Draft) — Turn collected fragments into cargo by managing refinery bins and transferring completed tonnes into the cargo hold.

Related Field Manual Entries

Mining How to Use a Refinery How to Resolve a Full Refinery How to Ignore Unwanted Mining Commodities