Platinum

Introduction

One of the many legal runs that you can do on the island of Altis is Platinum mining. Platinum is an ore found in the ground. can be processed into and sold as ingots and is one of the first recommended runs for newer players as its payout is viable enough for small to medium scale operations that can be increased with the use of a Worker's Protection License.

Starting The Run

Before you begin, it is a good idea to check the market value of platinum using the market tab on your “Y” menu to make sure nobody has sold platinum recently to maximize your profits. It is also recommended to stop by the DMV and purchase a “platinum processing license” as it is a prerequisite for processing the ore into ingots for sale. A pickaxe, which can be purchased at any market or gas station, is needed to mine platinum ore, as well as 3 items of food and water to sustain yourself for the duration of the run. You will want to begin this venture by retrieving your vehicle of choice from the truck shop south-west of Kavala. From there it will be a decent drive out to the platinum mine, which is located far south of Kavala where you will gather platinum ore. Upon arrival, you will position yourself close to the platinum mine icon on the map as within its proximity is the harvesting zone where you will be able to use your windows key to harvest the ore. The mine itself is nestled behind a large hill so you will not have to worry about concealing your vehicle. You will be able to begin harvesting once you are near the icon that is displayed on the map by using your windows key to harvest. Moving around while harvesting will increase pickup speed and just might throw off any would-be sharpshooters. Once you have collected the desired amount of ore you will then proceed west to the platinum processor. You will find this drive particularly scenic as you weave around the coast and enjoy a gorgeous view of the Edessa Bay.

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  An aerial view of the mine.
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  A route from truck shop to the mine.

Processing

When you arrive at the processor you will notice that the building itself will leave you extremely vulnerable. The sheet metal shack that houses the processing machine along with the surrounding area clear of cover or foliage to hide in will do little to stop rebels from making quick work of you. Therefore, it is advised to park your truck in the nearby tall grass in order to conceal the fact that you are processing in order to escape the notice of anyone who would bring your run to an abrupt end. You can process platinum ingots by filling your inventory with the unprocessed product and using your scroll wheel to activate the menu on the processing machinery. Fortunately, there is a bonus for processing that will incrementally give you faster progress as you process more platinum if you possess a Worker’s Protection License which will make processing a lot safer.

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  An aerial view of the processor.
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  A route from mine to the processor.

Selling

Once you are done processing you will travel to the east to the platinum trader. The route defined in the picture below will be the safest as you will need to maintain a safe distance from cocaine processing as anybody you would encounter there would be more than happy to lift your hard-earned goods from your corpse. Once you arrive at the trader who has decided to set up shop in yet another sheet metal shack which, again, will leave you very vulnerable you will want to sell as quickly as possible to avoid any interference by a 3rd party. Fortunately, there is an ATM a stone’s throw away where you will be able to immediately deposit your cash.

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  An aerial view of the trader.
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  A route from mine to the trader.

Payout

Using a box truck with no storage upgrades and a bergen backpack (210 platinum Ingots) will yield a payout of $375,155 (WPL: $431,428)

Run Time

Using a box truck with no storage upgrades, bergen backpack, and T4 turbo this run will take 27 minutes and 30 seconds with no real difference with any alternate routes posted in the screenshots. With a Worker's Protection License to increase processing it will take 22-25 minutes.