The Cylon Refinery is a base located on an asteroid rich in tylium ore, whose main purpose was to mine and refine tylium for the Cylons.
The base was located at a considerable distance from the presumed location of the Cylon homeworld. It is unknown whether the base was established out of necessity, or merely to eliminate possible resources for any escaping Colonials.
The base is discovered by lieutenants Valerii and Crashdown, while doing reconnaissance to find any tylium deposits for the Fleet.
Despite being extremely well guarded, the fuel shortages in the Fleet leave the Colonials no option but to destroy the Cylon base. Using recon photographs, Doctor Gaius Baltar identifies devices on the base's surface that will destroy the base while leaving the tylium undamaged.
The base is attacked in an elaborate plan by several Viper squadrons, but the base's anti-aircraft defenses allow it to remain undamaged. Captain Apollo takes on an alternate path to enter from under the base. With a clean shot to the location pointed out by Baltar, Apollo succeeds in destroying the refinery (The Hand of God).