Thanks for the encouragement from everyone that is still chugging along. I can't remember a storyline as expensive in coins and energy as this one. I'm averaging just over one Gnomish gold per two geode ores, at 45,000 coins each. I need another 95 Gnomish gold bars. That's about 8,500,000 coins. And to chop JUST THE GEODE ORES it's 1900 energy. Holy guacamole. How on EARTH have people finished this??

The advice about the adventures is welcome, thanks xiq. I am madly saving Penstemonium for exactly this. I actually got a Geode Rock from the Gnomish Mine this morning which was a great bonus.