Find the active control
The refinery has four stations around it. When it freezes, look for a station with words above it identifying the action. Depending on how long you take, more than one station may need attention.
Plunger
Grab the part in the middle and pull backward. The motion is a pull, rather than spinning the object around its center.
Beam the crystals
Use the mining laser on all four crystals. Watch for the light above each crystal to turn green.
Adjust the wheel
Grab the crank handle and rotate it around the center of the wheel. The small indicator moves sideways and lights the bulbs above it.
Aim for a green bulb, then hold the wheel aligned until the input is accepted. Reaching the position briefly and immediately letting go can miss the hold requirement.
Pull the levers
Look for the lever with the red indicator underneath and pull it. That indicator turns green and another lever becomes red. Follow the red indicator until all four are green.
Follow the red indicator rather than assuming a left-to-right lever order.