462 Future Mining in Production (1/2)
Chapter 462: Future Mining in Production
Translator: _Min_Editor: Rundi
The 7000 meters track was just like a strand of seaweed that swayed with the ocean current.
The 500 meters long graphene track connected on both ends by Titanium rings; 14 tracks in total formed the 7000 meters deep sea stairs from the abyss to the surface.
The entire track cost 500 million crystals, almost equivalent to the entire food trade revenue of NAC.
Out of all the equipment, the most expensive was the 15 titanium rings. They not only play a role in fixing the graphene tracks, but they could also freely control the depth of water just like submarines. Based on the direction of the ocean current, the titanium ring can also move through the four angles of the blade engine to move in the opposite direction. This prevents the huge tidal force from tearing the entire graphene track apart.
When the Droplet placed the six meters long, two meters wide oval ”elevator” at the bottom of the track, the entire deep ocean mining module was completely deployed.
The two suction discs underwater would shred the rocks on the surface and use the graphene tube to transport the broken pieces into the ”circular tube”. Based on the selection, the circular tube would crash the rocks into finer particles. Mudstones with low hardness would be crashed into particles and released into the ocean through a mesh net. The higher hardness molybdenum nodules would pass through the selection and be sent to the ”elevator” to the top.
When the elevator was filled with minerals, the graphene track would be powered up. The entire oval would be sent to the surface like the shell of the electromagnetic cannon.
Once the minerals reached 100 meters below the surface, the modern equipment would be able to retrieve the minerals.
The workers on the platform would send out retrieving boats based on signals from below the sea. Then scuba divers with nets would be able to bring the minerals up.
Once the minerals on the platform accumulated to a certain point, a boat would transport the minerals to the manganese nodule refiner on Ange Island. By that time, Xin would no longer need to depend on import for its consumption of iron, molybdenum, and manganese.
After all this, Jiang Chen deployed two 3D printed tidal current power generators at the surface of the sea to provide electricity to the mining equipment.
With the cost of the Droplet included, the equipment totaled more than seven million crystals.
Although it was expensive, Jiang Chen knew the investment was well worth it.
Just from the market price of ten crystals for one kilogram of molybdenum ore in Sixth Street, 700 tons would allow breakeven.
Moreso, the deposition at the surface of the ocean floor had more than one million tons!
The entire mining equipment would support mining operations for ten years without a problem.
When Jiang Chen returned to Coconut Island, Jiang Chen phoned Yang Yuan and told him about the mining operation.
”The problem with deep sea mining is solved?” When Yang Yuan heard that he could send people to the platform now, he was shocked.
”That's right. I will provide you with the mining steps through email. A transportation boat, a retrieving boat, two scuba divers, one observer, that's about all.” Jiang Chen smiled.
Yang Yuan raised his eyebrows in skepticism.
”But how do you retrieve the ore from the deep sea? Don't tell me you're going to tell the scuba divers to chisel it 7500 meters below the surface.”
”Do you think I'm dumb?” Jiang Chen scoffed jokingly, ”Don't worry, I took care of it. I will send it to you by email, and you'll know how the entire mining device functions. It's the top technology of Future Group, don't be too shocked.”
Yang Yuan glanced at his phone.
[Funny, I'm a graduate student from West Australia University and a top student that signed with Rio Tinto in my first year as a student. What type of equipment haven't I seen?]
It was the first time he heard that something could retrieve ores from 7000 meters below the sea.