There is a bug that causes your refiner items in the freighter to disappear when you warp/reload/etc.. From what I've gathered, it seems that the devs have been going to war with it since my 3 year hiatus(since writing this), but it keeps coming back.

So until they finally defeat the super evil bad guy who keeps taking your refinery items, DO NOT leave your freighter refiners unattended to. That means no warps or freighter summons or anything to the effect of moving the freighter base. I've heard people can get their items back from reloading, but I would not trust it for important stuff.

This notice still being here means they have yet to find a permanent solution to this(or I have been gone for a while and no one has mentioned it being fixed). If somewhere down the line they patch it, remember to test the freighter refiners after the game updates to make sure they are actually fixed. Or just stick with your ground base for refining.

First things first. You will need to learn how to read elements by their chemistry symbol displayed as follows:

Fa + Pg --> 2Au
Faecium (Fa) + Pugneum (Pg) yields 2 Gold (Au). The number LEFT of the element symbol represents yield/cost.

Second Example: 1 Condensed Carbon + 1 Pugneum = 2 Mordite⠀⠀OR⠀⠀C+ + Pg --> 2Mo

100Rn + {20C | 10C+} + {10NaCl | 5Cl} --> Enriched Carbon
Items within the {} refer to alterations possible for the refine product. In plain english for the example above, it takes 100 Radon (Rn) + (20 Carbon OR 10 Condensed Carbon) + (10 Salt OR 5 Chlorine) to refine Enriched Carbon.

N + [Fe/Fe+/Fe++] --> [1/2/3] Na+
[] refers to the change in item input affecting the yield/cost(this example just changes the yield). So Nitrogen + ferrite as shown above increases the yield by one for every higher tier of ferrite you're refining with.

Refer to an item you want to refine using the given format without the quotes: "--iCraftStuff ". Note that the space at the end prevents the search from being greedy. If you want specifically Sodium(Na) and not Salt(NaCl), that's what putting a space at the end helps differentiate.

Refer to an item's use case as: "-iLikeStuff ". This is where the CTRL+G comes in handy(at least on windows this works).
To demonstrate, search for the use cases for hydrogen with "- H", leaving out the space between the dash & H. Remember to add a space at the end of the search entry if you want to look for something specific like Ferrite Dust(Fe) and not similar such as Fe+ or Fe++.

Since CTRL+F in the steam browser does not automatically hoist you to a result when you type, I suggest pasting the guide to your default browser if you want to get the most out of it.

*Search for Oxygen and Carbon are very common, so they will be partially omitted. Ideally, I'd prefer that the use-case search of O2 or similar takes you to Localised Earth Elements instead of alternative refining for salt.

Catalog of Elements and Compounds is near the bottom if you want to see all the things involved in refining.

Check the Anomaly > Construction Research Station(center left between the Starship & Exosuit Stations) > Technology Modules
Can also be acquired for free through the Story as follows:
Artemis Story Mission until Overseer Terminal blueprint is obtained > The first mission of the Overseer > First mission of the Scientist

Freighter refiners are completely FREE(to use; you still need to build it)!

*This is the only section where the tab will display the names of the elements.
Harvested Agricultural Substance(Starbulb, Gammaroot, etc.)
^^^ --> 2 C
O_2 --> 1 C

2O_2 + 2C --> 5 C+
2O_2 + C+ --> 6 C+

Fa + 2C --> 2 C+
Fa + C+ --> 3 C+
Fa + Mo --> 2 C+

Cy ---> 2 C+

Ke + C or C+ --> 2 O_2
Ke + C+ + [HAS plant] --> 10 O_2

Localised Earth Elements (Pyrite, Uranium, etc.)
^^^ ---> 1 Fe
Rust --> 2 Fe

Fe++ --> 2 Fe+
2Fe + Pg --> 3 Fe+

C + Fe --> 1 Fe++
C + Fe+ --> 2 Fe++ <-- Fe + C+
C+ + Fe+ --> 3 Fe++

Pg + 2Fe --> 3 Fe++
Pg + 2Fe+ --> 3 Fe++
Pg + 3Fe++ --> 4 Fe++

Pt + O_2 --> 10 Fe++

Fe + [Cu/Cd/Em/In] --> [1/2/3/4] Fe++⠀⠀⠀⠀
Or if activated --> [2/4/6/8] Fe++

Co+ --> 2 Co

2O_2 + 2Co --> 5 Co+
2O_2 + Co+ --> 6 Co+

O_2 + Bu --> 2 Co+
Bu + Pg --> 2 Co+
Bu + {Co | Co+} --> 2 Co+

Cl --> 2 NaCl
O_2 + H --> 1 NaCl

2O_2 + 2NaCl --> 5 Cl
2O_2 + Cl --> 6 Cl

Ke + O_2 --> 2 Cl
Ke + {NaCl | Cl} --> 2 Cl
Ke + Pg --> 2 Cl

Na+ --> 2Na

Bu --> 1 2Na
Bu + C --> 2 2Na

{C | O_2} + Na --> Na+
{C | O_2} + Na+ --> 2 Na+

Pg + Na --> Na+
Pg + Na+ --> 3 Na+

N + Na --> Na+
N + Na+ --> 2 Na+
N + [Fe/Fe+/Fe++] --> [1/2/3] Na+

Bu + {C | C+ | Na | Na+} --> 2 Na+

{Fa | Ke} + {Na | Na+} --> 2 Na+

NaCl + N = Ke

3Fa --> 2 Mo
H + C+ --> Mo

Pg + C or C+ --> 2 Mo

N + Co --> Bu

Mo + 2Na --> 3 Bu
Mo + Na+ --> 4 Bu

3Mo --> Fa
H + C --> Fa

Mo + 2C --> 3 Bu
Mo + 2C+ --> 4 Bu

Fa + O_2 --> 3 Bu
{Py | P} + Fe++ --> B

Fe+ + [Cu/Cd/Em/In] --> [1/2/3/4]Ch⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ if activated: [2/4/6/8]

Ag + Au + [Cu/Cd/Em/In] --> [5/10/20/30] Ch⠀

Ch + Cu/Cd/Em/In --> 4[Cu/Cd/Em/In]

*direct refine 3:1 in the order given
18Nitrogen --> 9Sulphurine --> 3Radon

*refine 1:1
1 Gas Element + O_2 | Ch --> 1 Next Gas

Dirty Bronze --> 250 Ag
Herox --> 250 Ag
Aronium --> 250 Ag

Fe + O_2 + Em --> 10 Au

Pg + Mo --> Au
Pg + Fa --> 2 Au
Lemmium --> 125 Au
Magno-Gold --> 125 Au
Grantine --> 125 Au

Ag + Au --> Pt
Fe + O_2 + 250Ch --> 10 Pt

Iridesite --> 250 Pt

*Use case for Hydrogen (aside from frigate fuel) is relatively niche. That's why their formulas are repeated in this section.

5H_3 --> H

30H --> Di hydrogen Jelly *One minute per refine
Di hydrogen Jelly --> 40 H
*Don't ask me where the +10 hydrogen came from.
H + C+ --> Mo (Mordite)
H + C --> Fa (Faecium)
H + Su --> So (Solanium)
H + O_2 --> NaCl (Salt)

H + N --> NH_3 (Ammonia)
H + Rn --> U (Uranium)


H + H_3 --> D

LEE + Fe or Fe+ --> half of the previous LEE input
32Dioxite + Fe/Fe+ --> 16Phosphorus --> 8Uranium --> 4Pyrite --> 2Paraffinium --> Ammonia

-Starbulb, Cactus Flesh, Solanium, etc.

C + Na+ --> CO_2
C+ + Na+ --> 2

Ag + O_2 --> 2Pf
Su + Fe --> 1
Su + Fe+ --> 2
Su + Fe++ --> 3

Au --> Py
Au + O_2 --> 2

Rn + Fe --> U
Rn + Fe+ --> 2
Rn + Fe++ --> 3
H + Rn --> U

H + N --> NH_3

*refined with their respective LEE
Fc + CO_2 --> 2 Fc
So + P --> 2 So
Gr + U --> 2 Gr
Cc + Py --> 2 Cc
Sb + Pf --> 2 Sb
Ml + NH_3 --> 2 Ml

H + Su --> So

*Table out of date I think; to update later

30Py + {120Fe | 60Fe+} + {20H_3 | 20Ag | 10Au | 5Pt}

30NH_3 + {60Co | 30Co+} + {20H_3 | 20Ag | 10Au | 5Pt}

30U + {120Fe | 60Fe+} + {20H_3 | 20Ag | 10Au | 5Pt}

30Pf + {60Co | 30Co+} + {20H_3 | 20Ag | 10Au | 5Pt}

30P + {60Co | 30Co+} + {20H_3 | 20Ag | 10Au | 5Pt}

30CO_2 + {60Co | 30Co+} + {20H_3 | 20Ag | 10Au | 5Pt}

100Rn + {20C | 10C+} + {10NaCl | 5Cl}

100N + {20C | 10C+} + {10NaCl | 5Cl}

100Su + {20C | 10C+} + {10NaCl | 5Cl}

25Pg --> ∞
35Pt --> 1
15Ag + 15Au + 25Pt --> 1

--Pg *The only recipe for Pg right here
Atlantideum --> 2 Pg --> 2/25 ∞

Viscious Fluids --> Living Slime --> Runaway Mould
Hypnotic Eye --> 50 Living Slime --> ... --> 10 Nanites
5 Runaway Mould --> ∞

Salvaged Data --> 15 ∞

Hadal Core --> 50 ∞
Larval Core --> 50 ∞
Vile Spawn --> 50 ∞

Radiant Shard --> 50 ∞
Inverted Mirror --> 95 ∞
Hyaline Brain --> 230 ∞
Flesh Rope --> 50 ∞

Hexite X + Fa --> ∞
*Do not use this until you craft the item needed in the Startbirth mission
Tainted Metal --> 2 ∞

Rusted Metal <--- O_2 + Fe
2 Rusted Metal <--- O_2 + Fe+

Glass <--- {100Ag | 40Si | 40*Fc *Just craft by hand. It's the same cost.}
Glass <--- 50Cy + 50NaCl

*5 minute refine:
Warp Cell <--- {50C | 25C+} + {10Na | 5Na+} + 250Ch

*45 second refines for the following:
Starship Launch Fuel <--- {20Fe | 20Fe+ | 10Fe++} + {10Na |5Na+} + 10H

Life Support Gel <--- 10O_2 + 10C+ + 10H

Ion Battery <--- 10Fe + 10Ag + 10Na

Unstable Plasma <--- 10O_2 + {20C | 10C+} + {20Fe | 20Fe+}

The stacks for these are WAAAY higher than I remembered them to be.

*To update with stuff like basalt and junk
C, C+ - Carbon, Condensed Carbon
Fe, Fe+, Fe++ - Ferrite Dust, Pure Ferrite, Magnetized Ferrite
O_2 - Oxygen
Co, Co+ - Cobalt, Ionised Cobalt
NaCl, Cl - Salt, Chlorine
Na, Na+ - Sodium, Sodium Nitrate
Ag - Silver
Au - Gold
Pt - Platinum
Ke - Kelp Sac
Mo - Mordite
Bu - Marrow Bulb
Ch - Chromatic Metal
Fa - Faecium
Pg - Pugneum
H_3 - Tritium
H - Di-hydrogen
D - Deuterium
B - Basalt

N - Nitrogen
Su - Sulphurine
Rn - Radon

Cu - Copper
Cd - Cadmium
Em - Emeril
In - Indium

NH_3 - Ammonia
CO_2 - Dioxite
Pf - Paraffinium
P - Phosphorus
Py - Pyrite
U - Uranium

Ml - Fungal Mould
Fc - Frost Crystal
Sb - Star Bulb
So - Solanium
Cc - Cactus Flesh
Gr - Gamma Root

Dirty Bronze
Herox
Lemmium
Aronium
Magno-Gold
Grantine

Rusted Metal
Di hydrogen Jelly

Glass
Warp Cell
Starship Launch Fuel
Unstable Plasma
Life Support Gel
Ion Battery
Unstable Plasma

H_3 - Tritium
Ag - Silver
Iridesite
Un - Tainted Metal
Cy - Cyto-Phosphate

Concentrated Resource Deposits (REMOVED FROM THE GAME)
Destablised Sodium, Carbon Crystal, Rare Metal Element, TetraCobalt, Superoxide Crystal, Chloride Lattice

To do:
Still need someone to help maintain the guide
Clean up a few things on the guide.

Most recent changes:
New format labels index by symbol rather than the name of element. The intent is to make it easier to read in the very long term since inspecting an element using the old format required continuous re-interpretation from the game as Sodium > Na > guide index label: Sodium > refine: Na or Na+. Now it's just the game: Sodium > Na > guide index label: Na > the magic stuff. No more word salads basically. Also everything got condensed.
Added a search function for CTRL+F. Also useful with CTRL+G & SHIFT+CTRL+G.
Clicking the index should be more responsive now.


Ket (Reddit user)
Information gathered for this guide is from Ket's spreadsheet[docs.google.com]. I strongly recommend everyone to check it out for any other refines I won't label(ion battery, unstable plasma, etc.).

H1nks
A big thank you for keeping a keen eye on the guide.

Everyone else who makes a more readable guide(clearly not this one lmao).

Austin Guglietti (aguglietti on Reddit)
Creator of the No Man's Sky Resource Table.

nanoman2 (Reddit user)
Creator of the Foundation Update Periodic Table.
*Too lazy to check if there is another periodic table that is up to date as of edit. :P

My Chemistry Teacher
I wouldn't call much of this chemistry, but it is the closest I have seen to what was in class a few years back. Brookens #1
Disclaimer: this guide will not help you in your chemistry class. I am not responsible for any grades you may get following this guide.