Chapter 481： Indispensable errors (reward plus more) (1/2)

The industrial layout is not just steel. With the advent of the second industrial revolution, the use of copper has become wider.

In 1870, Austrian copper output reached 580,000 tons, while the demand in the market was as high as 720,000 tons, and the gap rate was as high as one sixth.

The main reason for this is the advent of the age of electricity. As a pioneer of the power revolution, Austria's demand for copper is naturally increasing.

In order to adjust the market supply and demand relationship, the Vienna government does not hesitate to increase the output of state-owned enterprises by administrative orders, but this supply and demand relationship cannot be changed in a short time.

There is no way. If there is a lack of steel, it can be purchased in the international market, but copper need not be counted.

The output of copper mines in Austria exceeds the total of European countries. Even the British, copper production in this era was so poor tens of thousands of tons.

Not everyone doesn't want to increase production. The problem is that there is no ore in the home. Raw materials need to be imported. To increase copper production, first solve the problem of copper ore.

Unfortunately, the reserves of this thing in Europe are really not high, otherwise Chile could not be enriched by exporting copper ore.

This is very discordant to Austria, the domestic reserves are not enough, and the imported copper ore is too far away, and the increased transportation cost makes the company's profit margin thin.

The Ministry of Industry is planning to look for copper mines in African colonies to make up for the lack of raw materials. Now copper mines have been found a lot, and transportation is still a big problem.

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Franz put down the information, shook his head and said, ”The plan to smelt copper mines in situ in Africa is too aggressive. It is not yet time to develop industry in Africa. At least until the localization is completed, the African continent cannot have industry. .

Moreover, can copper smelting in Africa necessarily reduce costs? I can remember that the Ministry of Industry's energy reserve report also mentioned the lack of coal mines on the African continent.

At present, several large coal mines we have found are concentrated in South Africa. If local smelting also needs to transport ore, it may not be cheaper than domestic smelting. ”

No doubt, it is political temptation. In recent years, more and more capitalists have entered the development of African colonies. Many of them are no longer satisfied with providing domestic raw materials and want to develop local industries.

However, due to inherent inadequacies, the resource distribution of the African continent is extremely uneven, and under the suppression of the Vienna government, it has not been successful.

Now these people want to use the strength of the Vienna government to develop industry locally and earn greater benefits.

This pediatric political method naturally cannot hide Franz's eyes. If it is a resource-rich area like the United States and Australia, it is still difficult to suppress local industrial development.

The situation is completely different when it comes to the African continent. More than 90% of coal mines are concentrated in South Africa. The remaining regions want to develop industry and must first solve the coal supply.

This requires road repairs, but currently the Austrian-Africa Railway Plan is still underway. The original plan was only from Guinea to the Congo region. Although the planned sections have been added now, this cannot be completed in a day or two.

The main roads have not been settled, let alone the branch lines. Without rail transport of raw materials, Africa's industry naturally cannot develop.

Now taking advantage of the local copper shortage, many people are beginning to move again, but they ignore the general distribution of Africa's resources, and Franz is better than anyone.

I do n’t know exactly which mine is, but what resources there are in that large area is not a secret in future generations. As long as those who are slightly interested can find information on the Internet.

There is no shortage of areas suitable for industrial development in the African continent. South Africa is the best choice. There are almost no shortage of resources.

But isn't this still fighting? When the war is over, it's time for the gold to come out. As soon as large tracts of gold mines appeared, who could afford to invest in other industries.

Capital is profit-seeking and flows naturally to areas with high profits. Once the gold mine was developed, resources were robbed, and it was difficult to invest in other industries.

In later generations, South Africa did not develop industry. To a certain extent, resources are too rich, and it is possible to start a business by selling mines. Who would be willing to risk investing in industry?

The Minister of Industry Kasin-Cubeck explained grievances: ”His Majesty, the Guinea localization expedition period is about to end, and we continue to suppress the development of local industries, I am afraid it will cause criticism.

We all know the problem of the distribution of resources. These people are on the African continent. It is impossible to know these problems. They still filed an application, which was mostly a trial.

Even if one or two coal mines are found to be suitable for industry, a maximum of one or two factories will be added.