Ya know, They should know that he is capable of creating equipment with various effects. if they were smart they would assume that the leader of that squad that produces artifacts would be absolutly stacked.
Yeah, it's probably lazy mangaka pulling shit out of stock photos instead doing something on his own.
Ore is full of impurities and other minerals, it also requires heat for crystals to form in a regular way, he can so far only change refine crystals to another, give items magical effects, turn existing things to their rightful shape, and move matter between locations temporary.