by default the recycling gives, if possible, purple essences. since 10 blues are 1 purple very likely you just got back 1 more purple instead of the 10 blues.

Right, I understand the Blue to Purple connection, because that was what I was aiming for, throwing 10 blues into a B tool and then recycling that tool to get a purple back, so I used all 10 blues on that tool and then after that went to recycle the tool, I did notice that on the rebate window it wasn't listing any essences and that should have been the first clue, but I just assumed it was probably a visual glitch and I'd get my purple out of it regardless because it's 100% return.

That was not the case, the tool was recycled and I got the 30 ore and no essences, nothing. I checked in Besetting, 0 blues, 0 purples, I relogged, I did whatever I could to give the benefit of the doubt that the game was just maybe needing a second to give me back the essence. But nothing.

I don't know if I encountered a 1/1000 cir*stance where it breaks or what the deal is, at the end of the day I'm not going to be too broken up about a purple essence but I was really needing that essence.