Find the starter claim
Your first Old Rusty excavator is at the family claim, near the tutorial test holes. Read Grandpa’s letter in the caravan at the tutorial drop-off. It points you toward the pond, the dark gravel and the track to Venn’s cabin.
| Location | X | Z | Notes | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| L Grandpa’s letter | −47.683 | 122.12 | Read in the caravan at the tutorial drop-off. Pump river water to the pond, sample dark gravel, then follow the track to Venn’s cabin. | Open |
| C1 Starter Old Rusty | −15 | 98 | Starting equipment at the family claim. | Open |
| C4 Gold wash table | −35 | 129.5 | Starting equipment at the family claim. | Open |
| C5 Mobile gold trommel | −25.5 | 124 | Starting equipment at the family claim. | Open |
| C7 Water Pump 1 | −9.5 | 142 | Starting equipment at the family claim. | Open |
Drill your first samples
Start with the two tutorial holes next to Old Rusty. Use the tutorial’s target depths for practice, then compare the grade and depth across nearby samples before you pick an area to dig.
| Location | X | Z | Notes | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D1 Tutorial test hole 1 | −10 | 102 | Drill to 3 m. | Open |
| D2 Tutorial test hole 2 | −6 | 104 | Drill to 4 m. | Open |
See the equipment guide for the introductory drill hire and generator trailer prices.
Set up water and wash the paydirt
- Move water to the pond. Grandpa’s letter directs you to use Water Pump 1 with hoses to move river water to the pond.
- Excavate and haul the paydirt. Use your drill results to choose the layer to dig. Move the gold-bearing material to your wash setup.
- Wash and refine. Run the material through the wash setup and sluice, then process the concentrate on the shaking table.
Game mechanics reference · The developer’s Groundwork Simulator overview