Every few months a new surge of interest in bitcoin will see a bunch of fresh faces, eager and willing to tap into the gold mine that is bitcoin generation. Unfortunately they're years too late to the trend and those that are still mining away, are doing it on a level you can't even fathom. Trust us when we say that your crossfired GPUs don't stand a chance against some of the machines that are out there now.
For instance, many bitcoin mining complexes have appeared using warehouses full of bespoke hardware. Seriously, just have a look at the gallery above to get an idea of how over the top it is.
There's actually a buzzing sound as you approach the facility, due to the monstrous cooling fans that are constantly pumping air across the thousands of specifically designed ASIC mining chips which are beavering away 24/7 in order to mine the precious bitcoins for the owners. All in all, electricity costs at the facility are topping out at nearly $60,000 a month.
There's three permanent staff that work at this one, each only getting to return home for two days a month (hurray for China labour laws). They work, sleep and relax at the factory, staying just a few metres away from the cranking servers.
So remember this next time you hear someone suggest that you or anyone else can make money from bitcoin mining. You can't. The chance for individuals to make anything at that game is long gone.
Image source: Coinsman