Processing Plants were structures built to process minerals extracted from asteroids and other astronomical bodies with mining operations. They were generally placed near asteroid fields and moons.
The Processing Plant was designed for human habitation, with a small command center located at the end of a long spine, and a small hangar located in the central section. Total crew complement was 187 beings. The station was unarmed, but did have a shield generator.
The Processing Plant was built by Telgorn Corporation, a company that produced several types of space stations. They were used by a variety of organizations. At least one Processing Plant was used during the Galactic Civil War to supply the Empire, AL-82673 in the asteroid field of the Kessel system.
Though the station's description in Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance lists them as being in use by "various," only one Processing Plant is ever seen, in Battle 6, Mission 7, "Family Reunion."