507 Mature Deepwater Mining Technology (2/2)
”Because I believe in the future of Future Group. I believe the wealth it will bring me is no less than what a public offering can bring me,” Jiang Chen said lightheartedly.
”But if you work with people who share the same ambition, won't you expand faster?” Luke smiled.
”Does Mr. Luke think my Future Group is expanding slowly?” Jiang Chen asked back in a joking tone.
Luke paused and began to chuckle.
”You're right. Since your inception, Mr. Jiang's company hasn't exhibited even one problem with cash flow; it's certainly an impressive feat.”
”That's an exaggeration.” Jiang Chen was humble.
”Can I ask a question?” Luke passed his empty glass to the waiter and picked up another one.
”Of course, if I can answer.”
”Whether it's Future 1.0 or the current Phantom, your company always introduces products that are favored by the market. There's also nutrient supply and deep water mining technology… What's the next product?” Luke asked.
”We'll probably further develop the virtual reality market or perhaps invest in manned space missions because I'm personally interested in space… Why do you ask?” Jiang Chen said casually.
”To avoid accidentally becoming your competition.” Luke wryly shrugged his shoulders and joked to Jiang Chen: ”Because of your virtual reality project, this sector in the NASDAQ is obliterated as most public companies fell from cloud nine to a deep abyss. Almost all investors who experienced the Phantom first-hand became aware that their investments in virtual reality faltered. Especially when a Harvard professor stated that it's a technology that can't be achieved in 20 years…”
Not even 20 years - in the timeline in the apocalypse, the first immersive virtual reality equipment only appeared in 2050.
”Then I do have to apologize.” Jiang Chen used a tone that he didn't mean at all.
”Haha, no need to apologize to me. I didn't place bets on the frontier of technology. In terms of investment philosophy, I share the same view as Carmen,” Luke said.
He took a sip of the champagne and continued:
”What does Mr. Jiang think about the resources industry?”
”Supply over demand.”
”That's right.” Luke smiled and nodded. ”Just two days ago, BHP sold two iron mines in the red, but every shareholder, including me, knows that it's a futile action. The mining business will only get harder and harder - not just in iron, but all other resources other than precious metals will face a similar downward trend.”
”Oh, is that so?” Jiang Chen said thoughtfully.
”Of course, since there's a limit to market demands, take the rebar used in the construction sector. Most people will only have one house in their life, but a house's life can be much longer than its owner. So even if we have been dominating in the resource sector, we have to use some of the money to support… industries that may give birth to new things such as the Rothschild family's Dalmer Group that invests in new energy vehicle projects that are bottomless pits. Then, for example, without doing due diligence on investment projects, we can lend 30 billion to a tech company with a bright future.”
”It's easy to bring ore up to the surface level. Just take my old friend in the Rothschild family. Vale, under their control, is the biggest iron ore supplier in the world with an estimated reserve of 4 billion tons. The mines can produce for up to 400 years and this is just public data.” Luke paused for a moment and exchanged a long but meaningful glance with Jiang Chen.
”During this pivotal time, if a mining technology could decrease the cost of mining and include depositions previously inaccessible on the list of current reserves, what kind of influence do you think this would have on the poor mining sector?”
When he heard all this, Jiang Chen more or less guessed Luke's goal behind the conversation and why Carmen brought him to meet him.
”You mean that some technologies are too advanced?”
”That's right.” Luke nodded.
”For example?”
”For example, mature deep water mining technology.”
Jiang Chen's pupils contracted.