Strip mining and you!

2 Mar 2010

Chapter 1: Equipment

The first step to strip mining your own backyard for maximum profit is to purchase the largest machine available.

We recommend the Bagger 288, anything less and you will only be out of pocket when you upgrade to this machine. And beleieve me, you will upgrade.

There are several other machines we recommend in this chapter, but if you are to put your heart and soul into this operation, you will know of nothing else.

Chapter 2: Getting Started

Strip mining is all about position. We recommend beginning in your own backyard for a practice run, go on, dig deep. Skimming the surface only ever leads to disappointment. Several hundred metres straight down, and a good square kilometer of your backyard should suffice as a good starting point.

The next step is to determine the best location for profit. I usually try my neighbours yards first, digging up just a few meters of top-soil. A couple of hundred neighbours later and you should have a prime position scoped out for your next square kilometer. Just make sure you chose the position that contains the hardest surface material, the most profitable materials and a good balance of the two.

Chapter 3: Identifying Materials

Now, this is arguably the most difficult task you will have in this operation. At least as a beginner.

You will need to research all the different materials and compositions you have, hopefully, collected by this stage from your digging operations.

Obvious materials such as diamond, anything that glows and gold-pressed latinum will be easy to spot and be your top priority. You will need to familiarise yourself with common and rare precious metals, their appearance in different environments, and relative worth.

Next, you need to be able to identify valuable scrap, those banana peels probably aren’t in that list, but that old cast-iron saucepan shop you dug up will be.