Salt

Introduction

One of the many legal runs that you can do on the island of Altis is salt mining. Salt is a mineral found in the ground and can be processed into and sold as refined salt. It 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 possession of a Worker's Protection License.

Starting the Run

Before you begin, it is a good idea to check the market value of salt using the market tab on your “Y” menu to make sure nobody has sold salt recently to maximize your profits. It is also recommended to stop by the DMV and purchase a “salt processing license” as it is a prerequisite for processing the unrefined product for sale. It is also necessary to take a pickaxe, which can be purchased at any market or gas station, 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 southwest of Sofia. From there, it will be a short drive out to the salt mine, which is located south of Sofia on top of the large dry salt flats where you will gather raw salt. Upon arrival, you will position yourself close to the salt 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 very exposed so prepare to be highly vulnerable while collecting. What little cover exists around the mine can be penetrated easily by higher caliber rifles so keep your wits about you and listen for approaching ground or aerial vehicles from Sofia or the nearby garage. After you have collected the desired amount you will then proceed to the Salt Processor just north of the Sofia APD HQ.

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  A route from a garage to the collection field.

Processing

The salt processor can be found in an industrial warehouse and can be used by approaching the processing machine and using your scroll wheel to unhide the menu. This is a moderately defensible processor and you will be in close proximity to an APD HQ which may prove helpful if attacked by rebels while processing. It is recommended to try and conceal your presence as best as you can. With Mushroom processing to the north and the rebel outpost adjacent the area is frequently traveled by rebels. You will still need to keep an ear out for any approaching aerial or ground vehicles but you will be decently protected while processing. There is a bonus for processing that will incrementally give you faster progress as you process more salt if you possess a Worker's Protection License which will make processing a lot quicker.

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  A route from the collection field to the processor.

Selling

After you have processed all of your goods you will travel south to the Salt Trader. It is a short drive so as long as you remain vigilant you will be able to make it there in one piece and sell all of your refined salt. Once you arrive you will approach the NPC and use your scroll wheel to unhide the option to sell your processed goods. As always, it is more efficient to double-click all of the salt in your inventory as it will automatically fill the sell amount with the amount you possess. Fortunately, there is an ATM less than 50m away in the nearby Vigilante Outpost where you will be able to deposit your profits.

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  A route from the processor to salt trader.

Run Time

Using a tier 4 box truck with no storage upgrades, bergen backpack, and Tier-4 turbo this run will take 25 minutes with no real difference with any alternate routes posted in the screenshots. With a processing bonus it will take 20-22 minutes.

Payout

Using a box truck with no storage upgrades and a bergen backpack (210 refined salt) will yield a payout of $402,150 (WPL: $462,472)