Metal collecting
Metals are a collectible in The Sims 3 and are found in ore form, to be smelted into ingots for §40.
Sometimes the foundry will return an ore, saying that it is actually a Mysterious Mr. Gnome in disguise.
Smelted ingots are worth 175% of their original cost, and so the raw metal must be worth §54 to offset the §40 cost of smelting and break even.
The "Breaking Even" equation is as follows: §54 (Cost of Ingot) * 1.75 (Smelting Worth Modifier) - §54 (Cost of Ingot) - §40 (Cost of Smelting) = §0.5; thus this is the lowest whole number that does not lose money.
Many, many editors have contended that §23 is "breaking even". Plugging into the correct equation, §23 * 1.75 - §23 - §40 = -§22.75, and thus is losing money. If you were to sell the raw ore, you would have made §23 and paid nothing, for a profit of §23, whereas if you mail it to the smelter, you will have paid §40 and made §40.25, for a profit of §0.25. It is far more worthwhile to sell a raw ore up to §54, at which point it becomes worthwhile to smelt it.
Also take into account if your Sim has the "Metal Collector" challenge there is a possibility that smelting will lead to additional ingots you would've missed out on if you had sold the raw metal. Not to mention there is always a chance of getting a Mysterious Mr. Gnome which is worth $1000.
Raw | Ingot | Metal | Rarity | Weight | Raw Value | Ingot Value | EP | Where? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
File:Iron Raw.png | File:Iron Ignot.png | Iron | Common | 1-52 | §7-20 | §35 | File:TS3-base-game-icon.jpg | Base Neighborhood |
File:Silver Raw.png | File:Silver Ignot.png | Silver | Common | 1-52 | §25-35 | §61 | File:TS3-base-game-icon.jpg | Base Neighborhood |
File:Gold Raw.png | File:Gold Ignot.png | Gold | Uncommon | 1-52 | §40-120 | §210 | File:TS3-base-game-icon.jpg | Base Neighborhood |
File:Palladium Raw.png | File:Palladium Ignot.png | Palladium | Rare | 80-300 | §300-500 | §875 | File:TS3-base-game-icon.jpg | Base Neighborhood |
File:Plutonium Raw.png | File:Plutonium Ignot.png | Plutonium | Extraordinarily Unusual | 0.1-5 | §1000-1800 | §3150 | File:TS3-base-game-icon.jpg | Base Neighborhood |
Copper | Common | 1-52 | §15-31 | File:TS3-EP1-World-Adventures-icon.jpg |
Egypt | |||
Mummitomium | Rare | 150-450 | §750-1200 | File:TS3-EP1-World-Adventures-icon.jpg | Egypt | |||
Iridium | Uncommon | 1-11 | §75-155 | File:TS3-EP1-World-Adventures-icon.jpg | France | |||
Titanium | Rare | 75-105 | §450-700 | File:TS3-EP1-World-Adventures-icon.jpg | France | |||
Platinum | Uncommon | 1-52 | §250-336 | File:TS3-EP1-World-Adventures-icon.jpg | China | |||
Mercury* | Uncommon | 1-52 | §100-400 | File:TS3-EP1-World-Adventures-icon.jpg | China | |||
Compendium | Extraordinarily Unusual | 1100-5500 | §???-??? | File:TS3-EP1-World-Adventures-icon.jpg | Base Neighborhood | |||
Supernovium | Extraordinarily Unusual | 35000-55000 | §3500-5500 | File:TS3-EP1-World-Adventures-icon.jpg | Base Neighborhood |
* Once smelted, Mercury will be always returned as a liquid in a vial. Solid Mercuries can be obtained through Transfiguration.