Reprocessing

Refining (also known as reprocessing in EVE terminology; the two terms are interchangeable) is a miner’s second best friend, the first being powerful mining lasers. Refining allows a miner to refine their raw ore into usable minerals that can be sold or used for personal production. However, it is unlikely that new players' skill sets will allow for the efficient use of a refinery, and large portions of the refined minerals will be lost as ‘waste’, so new miners may find it more profitable to sell the raw ore they mine rather than refining it.

Refining and reprocessing are used interchangeably on this page. They mean the same thing.

Equipment

In New Eden there are two types or refining equipment: equipment owned by NPC corporations and equipment owned by player corporations. Two modules exist for player-owned starbases with 52% and 54% base reprocessing efficiency. Outposts within sovereign null-security space have a base efficiency of 50%. Amarr, Caldari, and Gallente outposts can be upgraded to 57%, while Minmatar outposts can be upgraded to 60% efficiency.

If an NPC station is capable of refining then its equipment will have an efficiency rating between 30% and 50% (you can search for stations with 50% reprocessing efficiency by criteria, for example npc-corp or solar system, at Station search page). Obviously using a station with 50% equipment is better so pilots should take care when choosing a refining station and check this value before use. (You can use third-party map tools like DOTLAN to quickly check this. A list of the stations in Aptetter is available)

In addition, NPC stations take a tax for using their refining facilities. The tax is based on the player's personal or corporation standings with the station's owner, whichever standing is higher is used. The tax starts at 5% with 0 standings and falls to 0% at 6.67 standings with the station owner. Hence, it's a good idea to refine at stations for which you or your corp have the best relationship. See Equipment Tax below for more detail.

Pilot Skills

There are two generic skills that affect a player’s ability to refine: Reprocessing (1x) and Reprocessing Efficiency (3x), both of which are available from NPC stations. Reprocessing is the first skill you will need to improve efficiency, and will cost approximately 45,000 ISK. (This cost can be covered by the university's skillbook program.) Each level of Reprocessing will increase the pilot's efficiency by 3% for a maximum of 15% increase. Reprocessing Efficiency adds an additional 2% per level, up to 10% at level 5 skill, and requires Reprocessing level IV to train and costs 250,000 ISK from NPC stations.

To further reduce waste, there are individual ore skills for each ore type, and a generic ice skill for all ice types - these can be found on the Resource Processing page. Each level of that respective skill offers a final 2% increase to efficiency for the corresponding material, 10% at level V. The max possible refining efficiency with all 5 skills, at a 50% NPC station with perfect standings is 70%. The max possible efficiency in game with perfect skills and a +5% implant using a fully upgraded Minmatar outpost is 88%. Thus, you can never achieve "perfect refining" and there will always be some waste.

For an average player with around 30 days training into reprocessing skills, efficiency yields would typically hover around 63-65% depending on standings at a 50% station.

Net Yield with 50% Station Equipment

Reprocessing	Reprocessing Efficiency	Ore Skill (zero)	Ore Skill I	Ore Skill II	Ore Skill III	Ore Skill IV	Ore Skill V
(zero)	(zero)	48%	-	-	-	-	-
I	(zero)	49%	-	-	-	-	-
II	(zero)	50%	-	-	-	-	-
III	(zero)	52%	-	-	-	-	-
IV	(zero)	53%	54%	55%	56%	57%	59%
V	(zero)	55%	56%	57%	58%	59%	60%
V	I	56%	57%	58%	59%	60%	61%
V	II	57%	58%	59%	60%	61%	62%
V	III	58%	59%	60%	61%	63%	64%
V	IV	59%	60%	61%	63%	64%	65%
V	V	60%	61%	62%	64%	65%	66%

Refining in a station

Before you can process your raw materials you must place the ore in your hangar at a station with a refinery, or into the cargohold of a player-owned starbase reprocessing array. Compressed ores require 1 unit to process, while uncompressed ores require 100 units. You cannot process uncompressed ores with less than 100 units of a single type, e.g. 75 units of Veldspar cannot be combined with 25 units of Dense Veldspar for processing. Both compressed and uncompressed ores yield the same amount of minerals per batch. All ice require 1 unit to process, with compressed ice simply taking 10x less volume (100 m3) than uncompressed ice (1,000 m3).

To begin processing, right click the item from your hanger and select process, or drag it to an opened refining window. Once done, you'll have screen that looks similar to this:

In this example, we have approximately 120,000 units of Plagioclase designated for processing. With 39% overall efficiency, the processing yield at a glance will give approximately 51,850 units of Tritanium, 10,000 units of Pyerite and 51,850 units of Mexallon.

To see more detailed information about exact yields and calculations, simply hover over any item in either the input or output window. For example, hovering over the Plagioclase in the input window shows us the following:

• The base yield from station equipment is 32%.
• With Level V Reprocessing skill we have a x1.15 yield increase.
• With Level IV Reprocessing Efficiency skill we have a x1.08 yield increase.
• With level II Plagioclase Processing skill we have a x1.04 yield increase.
• With zero stations (individual or corporation) we have a x0.95 yield reduction.

As a result our total net yield is 39%.

To calculate this manually, or import into a tool or spreadsheet, you can use the following formula.
Station Equipment x (1 + Processing skill x 0.03) x (1 + Processing Efficiency skill x 0.02) x (1 + Ore Processing skill x 0.02) x (1 + Processing Implant)

Refining in a POS

Processing raw materials using a player-owned starbase is very similar to processing in a station, with the exception that there is no NPC tax. All other calculations remain the same. A basic Reprocessing array can be anchored in any security space and provides a 52% base yield (2% greater than then best NPC station), while the more advanced Intensive Reprocessing array yields 54% base but cannot be anchored in high-security space. To use either array, you must be within 3,000m of the structure. From there, either open your ship's cargohold or right-click the structure and select "access reprocessing array." To use the array, you must drag your item(s) from your ship's cargo hold or nearby container or warehouse, and drop them in the reprocessing array's cargo hold. From there, right click the item(s) and select "reprocess." You will not see the detail processing window like you do in a station, so make sure you want to process your selection. Once done, the minerals will appear in the array's cargo hold next to whatever excess materials were left over.

Compression

Compression offers significant savings in valuable cargo-space, and can only be done at a player-owned Station or with a Rorqual industrial ship. The compression array has no security restrictions and can be anchored at any POS. Batch sizes are 100 units for ore, and 1 unit for ice, with both compressing down to a single unit of their compressed version per batch. Compressed ice takes 10-times less volume (100 m3) than uncompressed ice (1,000 m3). Compressed ore has various volumes depending on the type. See the Ore table below for specific volume information.

A single unit of compressed ore or ice can be processed for an equal amount of materials as their uncompressed versions. As such, compression yields more minerals per m3 of space, but not per batch - 100 units of Veldspar yields the same 415 Tritanium as a single unit of compressed Veldspar, which was at some point made from 100 units of uncompressed Veldspar.

Once the ore is placed in the Compression Array, or Rorqual's cargo-hold, simply right click and select compress. If there are more than 100 units of ore, or 1 unit of ice, they raw materials will be quickly compressed and ready for whatever you plan to do with them, with any excess materials left untouched. Typically, compression is done to maximize cargo space for efficient and safe transport, such as capital production in low/null security space.

Ore

The following table lists the mineral content of each ore type, and the location(s) where they can be found. Compressed ores require 1 unit to refine, while uncompressed ores require 100 units.

Note that actual yields depend on refining equipment, player skills, level of refining implant (if any), and corporation standings if using an NPC station.

Ore Type	Uncompressed Volume	Compressed Volume	Tritanium	Pyerite	Mexallaon	Isogen	Nocxium	Megacyte	Zydrine	Morphite	Location
Veldspar	0.1	0.15	415								1.0 (All Space)
Concentrated Veldspar (+5%)	0.1	0.15	436								1.0 (All Space)
Dense Veldspar (+10%)	0.1	0.15	457								1.0 (All Space)
Scordite	0.15	0.19	346	173							1.0 (All Space)
Condensed Scordite (+5%)	0.15	0.19	363	182							1.0 (All Space)
Massive Scordite (+10%)	0.15	0.19	380	190							1.0 (All Space)
Pyroxeres	0.3	0.16	351	25	50		5				0.9 (Amarr, Caldari)
Solid Pyroxeres (+5%)	0.3	0.16	368	26	53		5				0.9 (Amarr, Caldari)
Viscous Pyroxeres (+10%)	0.3	0.16	385	27	55		5				0.9 (Amarr, Caldari)
Plagioclase	0.35	0.15	107	213	107						0.9 (Gallente, Minmatar), 0.7 (Caldari)
Azure Plagioclase (+5%)	0.35	0.15	112	224	112						0.9 (Gallente, Minmatar), 0.7 (Caldari)
Rich Plagioclase (+10%)	0.35	0.15	117	234	117						0.9 (Gallente, Minmatar), 0.7 (Caldari)
Omber	0.6	0.07	85	34		85					0.7 (Gallente, Minmatar)
Silvery Omber (+5%)	0.6	0.07	89	36		89					0.7 (Gallente, Minmatar)
Golden Omber (+10%)	0.6	0.07	94	38		94					0.7 (Gallente, Minmatar)
Kernite	1.2	0.19	134		267	134					0.7 (Amarr), 0.4 (Caldari, Minmatar)
Luminous Kernite (+5%)	1.2	0.19	140		281	140					0.7 (Amarr), 0.4 (Caldari, Minmatar)
Fiery kernite (+10%)	1.2	0.19	147		294	147					0.7 (Amarr), 0.4 (Caldari, Minmatar)
Jaspet	2	0.15	72	121	144		72		3		0.4 (Amarr, Gallente)
Pure Jaspet (+5%)	2	0.15	76	127	151		76		3		0.4 (Amarr, Gallente)
Pristine Jaspet (+10%)	2	0.15	79	133	158		79		3		0.4 (Amarr, Gallente)
Hemorphite	3	0.16	180	72	17	59	118		8		0.2 (Amarr, Gallente)
Vivid Hemorphite (+5%)	3	0.16	189	76	18	62	123		9		0.2 (Amarr, Gallente)
Radiant Hemorphite (+10%)	3	0.16	198	79	19	65	129		9		0.2 (Amarr, Gallente)
Hedbergite	3	0.14			81		196	98	9		0.2 (Amarr, Gallente)
Vitric Hedbergite (+5%)	3	0.14			85		206	103	10		0.2 (Amarr, Gallente)
Glazed Hedbergite (+10%)	3	0.14			89		216	108	10		0.2 (Amarr, Gallente)
Gneiss	5	1.03	1278		1278	242			60		-0.4 (Amarr, Minmatar)
Iridescent Gneiss (+5%)	5	1.03	1342		1342	254			63		-0.4 (Amarr, Minmatar)
Prismatic Gneiss (+10%)	5	1.03	1406		1406	266			65		-0.4 (Amarr, Minmatar)
Dark Ochre	8	3.27	8804					173	87		-0.2 (Caldari, Gallente)
Onyx Ochre (+5%)	8	3.27	9245					182	91		-0.2 (Caldari, Gallente)
Obsidian Ochre (+10%)	8	3.27	9685					190	95		-0.2 (Caldari, Gallente)
Spodumain	16	16	39221	4972			78				-0.5 (Amarr, Caldari)
Brige Spodumain (+5%)	16	16	41182	5221			82				-0.5 (Amarr, Caldari)
Gleaming Spodumain (+10%)	16	16	43143	5496			86				-0.5 (Amarr, Caldari)
Crokite	16	7.81	20992				275		367		-0.5 (Amarr, Caldari, Gallente)
Sharp Crokite (+5%)	16	7.81	22041				290		385		-0.5 (Amarr, Caldari, Gallente)
Crystalline Crokite (+10%)	16	7.81	23091				309		403		-0.5 (Amarr, Caldari, Gallente)
Bistot	16	6.11		16572				118	236		-0.6 (All Space)
Triclinic Bistot (+5%)	16	6.11		17402				124	248		-0.6 (All Space)
Monoclinic Bistot (+10%)	16	6.11		18230				130	259		-0.6 (All Space)
Arkonor	16	3.08	6905		1278			230	115		-0.6 (All Space)
Crimson Arkonor (+5%)	16	3.08	7251		1342			242	121		-0.7 (All Space)
Prime Arkonor (+10%)	16	3.08	7596		1406			253	127		-0.7 (All Space)
Mercoxit	40	0.1								293	-0.8 (All Space)
Magma Mercoxit (+5%)	40	0.1								308	-0.8 (All Space)
Vitreous Mercoxit (+10%)	40	0.1								323	-0.8 (All Space)
Ore Type	Uncompressed Volume	Compressed Volume	Tritanium	Pyerite	Mexallaon	Isogen	Nocxium	Megacyte	Zydrine	Morphite	Location

Implants

Furthermore, for pilots looking to get their refining yield even higher, they may wish to look into the Zainou 'Beancounter' Refining RX series implants. These Implants are slot 8 Skill Hardwirings found in the market under Resource Processing Implants. They come in 3 varieties RX-801 (1%), RX-802 (2%) and RX-804 (4%) to provide an expensive but possibly worthwhile investment that will bring a pilot closer to an effective 100% refining efficiency in their station or POS of choice.

Equipment Tax

Unfortunately, even with 100% efficiency, you may not receive all the minerals to which you are entitled. The tax man needs his share. The Corporation running the refinery will take up to 5% of the minerals depending on your personal or corporation's standings with the refining station.

In order to reduce the tax level your personal OR corporation standing with the NPC corporation that owns the station needs to improve. The larger of your personal or corporation standing is used for calculating the tax rate, while standing with the faction (faction to you) that the NPC corporation belongs to is not taken into consideration. You need a standing of 6.67 or more with the NPC corporation to have a 0% tax rate.

It's a good idea to learn skill Connections, to increase your effective standing towards corporation. Even if your real standing with the corporation is close to zero, Connections V will cut your corporation tax by 25%. Note that until you complete at least one mission for the NPC corporation, your Connections skill will not be taken into account when calculating your tax rate.

Within the university there are many players who have already attained this 'zero tax refine' standing as well as 'perfect refine' skills and offer it as a service to newer players: see the Perfect Refine List for more details.

New Industrial-focused characters interested in earning perfect refining standings for themselves may be interested in the following guide to earning standings through mining missions near Aldrat.

References

• List of Skill Hardwiring Implants