Extraction Rate Calculator
Calculate a simple extraction or recovery rate from starting amount and recovered amount, with loss shown explicitly.
What this result actually means
Extraction rate here means simple recovery yield: recovered amount divided by starting amount. Showing the unrecovered amount and loss rate alongside the recovery percentage prevents a high percentage from hiding the absolute amount left behind.
Use the same unit for starting and recovered amounts—grams with grams, pounds with pounds, liters with liters when volume recovery is the intended metric. Compare like-for-like batches and define exactly what “recovered” means before using the percentage as a process KPI.
Inputs that control the answer
Business calculators are only as good as the unit economics behind their inputs. Match the numerator and denominator to the same period, traffic source, product mix, or operating scope before interpreting a ratio as a decision signal.
| Input | Example | What to enter |
|---|---|---|
| Starting amount | 100 | Use the same unit and measurement basis for both starting and recovered amounts so the recovery percentage is comparable. |
| Recovered amount | 82 | Use the same unit and measurement basis for both starting and recovered amounts so the recovery percentage is comparable. |
Worked example
Using the example values loaded in the calculator (Starting amount = 100, Recovered amount = 82), the browser-side formula produces the outputs below. These are example numbers, not recommended project or business settings.
| Output | Example result |
|---|---|
| Extraction / recovery rate | 82.0% |
| Unrecovered amount | 18 |
| Loss rate | 18.0% |
First checkpoint: Extraction / recovery rate = 82.0%. Change the inputs to your real scenario before using the number for an order, budget, quote, bid, reimbursement, or operating decision.
Test the assumption before you trust the total
Extraction rate here means simple recovery yield: recovered amount divided by starting amount. Showing the unrecovered amount and loss rate alongside the recovery percentage prevents a high percentage from hiding the absolute amount left behind.
Use the example buttons above to move several inputs together, then change one field at a time. That makes sensitivity visible: you can tell whether the result is mostly driven by size, rate, coverage, waste, quantity, or another assumption.
Where estimates go wrong
- This is generic yield math, not a process-design or safety calculator.
- A higher recovery percentage does not automatically mean higher purity, product quality, or economic value.
- Moisture, sampling, measurement basis, and byproducts can make mass-balance comparisons misleading if the starting and recovered amounts are not measured consistently.
Use the same unit for starting and recovered amounts—grams with grams, pounds with pounds, liters with liters when volume recovery is the intended metric. Compare like-for-like batches and define exactly what “recovered” means before using the percentage as a process KPI.
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Questions people run into
Can I use grams for one input and pounds for the other?
No. Starting and recovered amounts must use the same unit. The percentage is unitless only after the two measurements are made on a consistent basis.
Is extraction rate the same as purity?
No. Recovery percentage tells you how much of the starting amount was recovered under the definition you chose. It does not measure purity, potency, quality, or economic value.
What if recovered amount is higher than starting amount?
That usually means the two measurements are not on the same basis or additional material is included in the recovered amount. Check units, moisture, tare, additives, and sampling before interpreting a rate above 100%.
Method and limits
Formula: Extraction rate = recovered amount ÷ starting amount × 100%.
The calculator runs locally in your browser from the values you enter. The mathematical result is deterministic from those inputs; the planning accuracy depends on whether the inputs represent the real job, route, policy, product, or operating conditions. When the result is close to a purchase threshold, package boundary, safety limit, or financial break-even point, verify the controlling assumption before acting.
Reviewed for calculator depth and clarity · September 2026 · Methodology