49 episodes
As soon as they succeeded in mining seabed resources using skeletons, the government immediately attached all kinds of rhetoric to the press, saying that they took the first step towards a resource powerhouse, and thanks to this, the development of Ceron, which attracted people’s attention.
In the meantime, I commissioned the smelter for the minerals I took out as an experiment, and the result was a huge hit.
“There is no iron. This is a bit disappointing.”
We don’t need iron ore to make electronics.
The professor jumped at my words and said.
“What are you talking about! Iron in such a high-grade mineral!”
“Yes?”
“This is the perfect mineral, handcrafted by the great nature! In the process of the minerals molten in the hydrothermal vents being cooled by seawater, heavy minerals remained mainly…”
“Again, you’re saying it’s difficult. Easy, easy.”
At my words, the professor coughed in vain.
“The molten minerals cooled in the cold seawater, leaving only the heavy minerals on the surface. In a word, this mineral is a high-purity mineral refined by nature.”
“Is the purity high?”
“Yes. Take a look at the results here. In 1 ton of mineral, 200 kg of copper and 300 kg of zinc. This alone is already half of it, and an additional 30g of gold and 1,000g of silver came out. It also contains significant amounts of other 20 kinds of minerals. Do you really not know what this means?”
The professor said with his eyes shining.
“It’s such a crazy level of content that there’s nothing to throw away.”
“Is that tidy?”
“Leaving everything else aside, let’s talk about copper for now. Do you know what the copper content of a typical copper mine on Earth is?”
“10 percent?”
Then the professor smiled and said.
“It’s 0.3 percent.”
“Fuck!”
0.3 percent?!
“If you dig a ton of stone in a copper mine, you have 3 kg of copper in it. Refining and smelting it is the copper we usually see. But what about this? That’s a whopping 20 percent. Even the rest are mostly other minerals that are not impurities. under. It is truly a mineral from God, given by nature.”
“okay?”
I took out my calculator and tapped it.
“Let’s see. A large seabed mining skeleton sent down for testing right now is working on average about 1 ton per hour … 24 tons in 24 hours.”
This time, I turned on my cell phone and searched the price of each mineral.
“Copper is 8,000 won per kg and zinc is 3,000 won. Multiplying all of these…”
After I finished the calculation, I opened my mouth wide and said.
“100 million a day?!”
One large seabed mining skeleton earns 100 million a day?
So, 3 billion in a month, so 100 skeletons is 300 billion a month.
“Should I throw everything away and do this?”
I was going to get some raw materials for the Ceron group, but this one has a bigger belly button than a belly button.
Ceron Group’s current monthly sales of 700 billion won and net profit are around 200 billion won.
The professor shook his head at my words and said.
“Probably not that much. Because that’s the standard after smelting. After subtracting the various incidental expenses, it is probably about two-thirds.”
Even at the professor’s words, I smiled brightly.
“Still, it is said that 200 billion will come out, only 100.”
“Perhaps it is.”
this is crazy
Why didn’t I think of this earlier, to the point that I felt pity for myself.
I immediately called Kim Deok-bae.
– Yes, Chairman.
“Please look for a used boat right now.”
Up until now, the government-provided ship has been used for the experiment, but to expand the business in earnest, a ship developed by Ceron is needed.
– Wasn’t that what you decided to do after the experiment was over?
“It’s an experiment, sleep and do it unconditionally, unconditionally. It doesn’t matter how much money it costs, so hurry up!”
*
The undersea mining system developed by Ceron, which started operating in earnest, was simple.
First, 15 large skeletons are assigned to each submarine mining vessel equipped with a crane, and the skeletons descend to the seabed with basic mining equipment such as pickaxes and shovels.
The skeletons descended like that, picking up whatever they can pick up, and digging up minerals that require a pickaxe because they are large.
In this way, while the submarine mining vessels continue to collect minerals during this 24-hour shift, the carrier ships between Korea and the submarine mining vessel deliver supplies to be used by the submarine mining vessel, and then load the accumulated minerals and bring them back to Korea.
And, of course, the results were great.
“Dog is awesome!”
I sold the mined minerals to the large smelter contracted this time, and the amount I got was a whopping 30 billion won.
It was the amount of money that one ship with 15 large skeletons had made in a month.
I said with a smile, tearing the corners of my lips apart.
“Why have you been watching this good thing all this time? Thank you.”
Of course, I don’t know why.
Unlike a large skeleton that puts its feet on the sea floor and moves even a pickaxe, a robot floating on water in the form of a submersible is incomparable in terms of work efficiency, apart from everything else.
No matter how good it is, its efficiency is about 10%.
So, assuming the same work hours, you would make 3 billion won, but honestly, what would be left of you if you earn 3 billion won a month by mobilizing a deep-sea unmanned robotic submersible and a large ship?
Right now, I have 80 people employed as navigators and shift pilots of carriers and submarine mining vessels, and I have to live on the sea continuously, so I am paying a high salary, so the labor cost alone is close to 1 billion won a month.
In addition, if you take into account the maintenance costs of ships and robots, as well as the fees for using mining rights to be paid to the government, there is a high probability that it will be negative if you earn 3 billion won.
But I’m different.
Even after removing all that, there is at least 20 billion left.
“Congratulations, Chairman Han.”
A congratulatory message from Commissioner Jinyoung Lee.
“Uh-huh. thank you.”
“If the business grows in the future, hundreds of billions of dollars would be ridiculous.”
“Hundreds of billions of dollars? For the time being, I will only make skeletons for undersea mining.”
Of course, there was a limit to continuing to earn profits from this alone.
For example, in the case of copper, which currently accounts for the highest share, the world’s total production is approximately 20 million tonnes per year.
In monetary terms, it was approximately 150 trillion won.
The problem is that the price of this raw material fluctuates enormously depending on supply and demand.
Even if I oversupply just 10 percent of world production, the price might drop by two-thirds.
In other words, taking into account other minerals, it could be up to tens of trillions of dollars, but it meant that it would be difficult to grow beyond that.
Proof that there is not a single mining company in the top 100 of the world’s companies.
But even so, it is true that there is no way to make more money than this right now, so for the time being, we should focus on seabed resources.
I said looking at Jinyoung Lee.
“Anyway, you were very helpful. I didn’t know that finding a boat would be so difficult.”
I made Kim Deok-bae look for a used boat.
But this was surprisingly not the case.
It is difficult to find second-hand items, and it is necessary to change the structure of the ship in order to renovate it, but once an accident occurs, it becomes a huge accident.
So I immediately asked Jinyoung Lee for help.
Jinyoung Lee gladly accepted, and with the help of Jinyoung Lee, Ceron succeeded in purchasing a used boat and converting it into a submarine mining vessel, receiving up to 90% of loans through government guarantees.
“no. Perhaps Korea is at an important crossroads from being a resource importer to an exporter.
“I will guarantee that for sure.”
I’m digging for minerals at the level of clam digging in the mud flats, but what’s the difficulty?
Anyway, the future is the problem.
“Aren’t there any more used boats?”
So far, Ceron has purchased a total of six ships.
Two of them are carriers, and the rest were bought to be converted for undersea mining, but only one is currently in operation and the other three are in the process of remodeling.
The problem is that there are no next 4 ships.
Jinyoung Lee said with a bitter smile.
“It’s amazing that I bought six used ships of the size I wanted in such a short period of time in the first place. A ship is not something that can be bought and sold so easily.”
Since ships are so expensive and large, from the moment you order a new ship from the shipyard, you have already made plans for future operation.
Therefore, buying a used boat is usually not difficult.
If it was so, would I have asked Jinyoung Lee for help?
“Ahh. There are a lot of skeletons, but I can’t work because I don’t have a boat.”
“Isn’t it right to coordinate with the shipyard and make a proper submarine mining vessel instead of the improvised boat like now?”
I sighed and said.
“I asked, and they said it would take 6 months from design to drying no matter how short it was. They even have a backlog of orders, so you can get them in two years.”
Due to the recent resurgence of the shipbuilding industry, orders have been delayed.
I thought for a while and said.
“Is that not possible? It would be convenient to build a sea base on top of an undersea mining farm. Why, oil drilling is like that.”
Jinyoung Lee laughed at my words and said.
“There is no problem because it is a part that has already been decided when acquiring the development right.”
“okay?”
“But a sea base would take longer than a ship.”
“ah.”
“The depth of the mine is 4,000 meters, but it cannot be made into a fixed type. Then it is called a floating type, and this type of floating type is also made by attaching a barge-like boat or platform to it. Then I’ll have to get that ship and platform again. However, since this is for a very special purpose, there will be no second-hand items at all.”
Ahh.
Why do you have to suck your fingers over this kind of bonanza?
I sighed and said.
“ha. I can’t help it. We will coordinate with the shipyard.”
“You thought well.”
“Instead, please keep looking for used boats, because if there is something useful, I will buy it unconditionally.”
*
I had a meeting with the shipyard and coordinated the schedule.
He begged me to do it as soon as possible, but the shipyard also expressed displeasure, saying that there was no way, so the time for delivery of the first ship was finally confirmed to be two years.
“ah. stuffy. Ahh!”
For me, who ran without hesitation, filling even the machines with skeletons, two years is a long time, even if it is too long.
“shit. Even if the bones float only on the water.”
If bones had the property of floating in water, I would have built a sea base out of bones without looking back.
But the bones will sink the moment you put them in the water.
Of course, if you put an air-filled structure in between, nothing can’t float, but there’s no way the government would permit such a clumsy offshore structure.
“After all, the sea is not easy.”
Then Kim Deok-bae knocked on the door and said,
“President.”
“Yes?”
“These are new employees who have just joined the company.”
When hiring a new employee at Ceron Headquarters, an interview with me was a must-go process.
It’s not a big deal, and it’s a kind of show that you only do once when you join the company for reputation management and encouragement.
“Tell me to come in.”
The door opened like that, and about 10 new employees came in in a state of strict standards.
“Nice to meet you. This is Han Ji-hyuk.”
The new employees shouted immobile.
“It is an honor to meet you! I will work hard for Seron!”
“yes. I am happy to work with you.”
After giving such a soulless answer, he throws out a few small words.
“Then you live nearby.”
“That’s right!”
“haha. After all, it’s best to be close to the company. I know because I have been to work.”
The moment when you want to have a moderate conversation like that and move on.
“Well?”
A new employee stands out at the very end.
A middle-aged rookie with wrinkles on his face.
I looked at the resume Kim Deok-bae handed me and said.
“Let’s see. This is Jang Cheol-woong.”
Then Jang Cheol-woong shouted.
“you’re right!”
“Are you a newcomer?”
“Even though I am old, I am ready to take on the challenge as a freshman!”
There is nothing strange about Gunsan, where there were so many unemployed people.
Rather great.
It’s usually not a resolution to give up all the careers you’ve built up and apply as a freshman rather than a career.
“I look forward to putting the experience I’ve accumulated over the years to good use at Seron.”
“of course! I will show you that the spirit of building ships is still alive!”
···uh?
ship?
I hurriedly checked Jang Cheol-woong’s resume.
“Sea Heavy Industries Gunsan Shipyard?”
“Yes! I used to work at the Gunsan shipyard that closed six years ago!”
“Isn’t the shipbuilding industry booming again these days? Is the door still closed?”
“Yes? Oh yes.”
“Please explain in detail. There was talk that the Gunsan shipyard would be reopened.”
Then, Jang Cheol-woong, who was watching, said.
“They talk about restarting in consultation with the city, but between us, we think it’s just a show to show.”
“Why?”
“The shipbuilding industry has revived a little, but it is not at the level of its heyday and is not even dreaming of expansion. There’s no way we can survive if we expand and then the same recession strikes again. The Gunsan Shipyard is also an extension of that.”
Obviously, the order volume has increased, but are you saying that shipbuilders who have experienced a recession are reluctant to increase their tables?
“One more question. How big is the Gunsan Shipyard?”
“Uh… I didn’t understand the meaning.”
“I mean, can you build a big boat?”
“I don’t know how big a ship you are talking about, but I am proud that no other shipyard in the world can make a ship of a size that cannot be made at the Gunsan Shipyard.”
Jang Cheol-woong spoke in a way that he didn’t understand because it was so natural.
“Perfect!”
okay.
I’ll just have to make it with my own hands when I’m waiting for the order to be pushed back.
In the future, I have to make countless submarine mining ships, but if I’m going to make it anyway, it wouldn’t be cheap and good to make it with my own hands.
I don’t know, but if I just build a submarine mining vessel, how many years’ worth of work will I get?
I told Kim Deok-bae.
“Chief Kim! Contact the mayor and arrange a meeting. And Daejeon Heavy Industries!”