Maybe someone with better search fu can find the thread I remembr with a good discussion about this. It was pre-SR4, so about 3+ years ago.

Or maybe people want to point out problems again.

The scenario was magicians making radical gold or orichalcum for big bucks. Some of the reasons for it not being so easy was the need for a SIN, magic license, business license, retail space and a ton of security and the like to do it legally. Making it illegally, still required a ton of security, and organized crime payoffs among other reasons.

I am trying to remember the other reasons.

Because I didn't want street mages to sit in their basements and fiddle with crucibles when they could be out running the shadows and getting some fresh air and exercise.

More seriously, SR4 made it less economical for single PCs to just crank out orichalcum on a for-profit basis.

How much less? Ok, I'll look it up.

Ok, looked it up. Looks like SR4 pretty much killed making orichalcum or radicals for profit. Threshold of 3 to make orichacum means only the best enchanters are going to succeed at all and the rest are wasting their time and ingredients.

Also added a SR3 tag to the thread in case the above answer is much, much less economical.