53 episodes
Kim Tae-ryeong, who left the oath to say that he would regret it.
However, contrary to such a scare, it passed quietly without major incidents.
So, without taking any action, I continued to increase the number of ships and increase the production.
Then one day.
“Are you okay?”
Kim Deok-bae said with a firm expression.
“That’s right. The Chinese government has decided to impose tariffs on South Korean zinc and copper to protect its mining enterprises.”
Just as Hwaryeong Mining accounted for 20% of the world’s zinc mining market, China was the world’s No. 1 zinc miner and smelter at the same time.
Therefore, with the recent increase in production, the Chinese smelter was also showing interest in zinc developed for Ceron, but the Chinese government took the initiative and imposed tariffs on Korean copper and zinc.
“How much did you charge?”
“It’s 25 percent.”
“Wow. Are these bastards crazy?”
It was only a 5% discount, but if a 25% tariff is imposed, there is no reason for Chinese smelters to buy zinc and copper from Ceron Development.
It is said that the moment you cross the sea and arrive in China, an additional 25% is added in tax.
“I’m sure the Chinese government is behind them, too.”
All land in China is state owned.
Of course, in such a situation, there is no way the government can grant mining rights to companies that have nothing to do with them.
So I roughly expected that there would be a connection with the Chinese government, but to come out like this.
“Isn’t there a free trade agreement between Korea and China? Can I just raise the tariffs at will?”
An FTA agreement to abolish each other’s tariffs.
“When I inquired, they said that when the FTA was signed a few years ago, they didn’t even include it in the scope of the agreement because they thought there was no need to export minerals.”
“…well, it’s worth it.”
The FTA agreement is a fierce smuggling.
The basic principle is that they want to abolish tariffs if they are likely to be beneficial to them, and to maintain tariffs if they are likely to be detrimental to them.
So, each other gives up what to give up and brings what to bring, negotiating for months.
“Anyway, so there’s no way to do it?”
“I think we will have to give up our exports to China for the time being.”
It is obviously a huge loss to not be able to sell minerals to a country that smelts and produces the most copper and zinc in the world.
But it doesn’t matter.
I said with a bright smile.
“That’s right, what.”
Why do countries around the world always suffer from the problem of supply and demand of raw materials?
This is because a single raw material fluctuates, and the secondary and tertiary industries that are derived from it are all affected.
“Let’s play a game of chicken properly. Even if it’s not, they’re complaining that it’s too expensive, but I’ll supply it cheaply, well.”
But at this time, what if I supply zinc at a lower price than the market price?
It doesn’t matter, smelter, because they buy it according to the market price, process it, and sell it again. When raw materials are supplied so cheaply, manufacturers also reduce their costs, so only the mining companies die at the loss because the raw material prices become cheaper.
read at noblemtl.com
Moreover, zinc and copper are both essential raw materials, as they are both ranked in the top 4 of the world’s most used metals, so the effect will be further maximized.
“China is overwhelming, but zinc smelters aren’t the only ones in China, right?”
Just as even Korea, which has no resources, has a sizable zinc smelter, smelters are a state-based industry, so most countries, large or small, have smelters.
If cheap zinc is supplied to these smelters, the companies that receive the products from the smelters can produce cheaper, which naturally leads to a deterioration in the competitiveness of Chinese companies that have no choice but to use expensive zinc.
“Both copper and zinc are 20 percent off.”
So, I’ll take this opportunity to hold on to discipline, well.
Exactly, they set it a little higher than the Chinese tariff, so I can’t do this either.
Of course, the power of developing Seron, which now only accounts for 6-7 percent of the world market share, is not enough to destroy the solid cartel.
But if it’s the future of Seron, it’s a different story.
“And prepare for a press conference.”
“What content should I prepare?”
I said with a bright smile.
“Future Plans for Seron Development.”
*
“The development of Ceron will make Korea a raw material powerhouse through more active development of undersea mines, and we will also strive to stabilize the recently soaring raw material prices by supplying more minerals to the global market.”
The reporter raised his hand at my words and said.
“How much more do you plan to add?”
“We plan to build at least 70 mining vessels within one year and triple our production capacity.”
“Three times what it is now?!”
Then the reporters said with their eyes shining.
“If you triple the production of Ceron now, you mean that the copper and zinc supply will increase by nearly 20 percent in one year.”
“Is that enough for the price to plummet?”
With the spread of electric vehicles and the shift to the information age, the consumption of copper and zinc, the core metals, increased every year, but the supply only increased by 2% per year.
Because of this, copper and zinc prices have been skyrocketing.
But at this time, Ceron suddenly appeared and said that if production was tripled within one year, a whopping 20% of the supply bomb would fall.
Naturally, such a supply bomb would lead to a price drop.
However, this was a planned procedure anyway.
Because I was going to continue to increase production for a while.
However, the reason I haven’t announced my plans for the future was because there was no reason to lose money by causing a sudden price drop with my own hands.
‘All the major zinc mining companies are gathered here. Losing at 94% of you is far more overwhelming than losing at 6% of the development of Seron, right?’
Besides, I have a different position from companies that only mine minerals, which are their main stock, in limited mines.
What if copper and zinc plummet?
Then, like Japan, it is enough to work with a country that has minerals other than copper and zinc among countries that want to develop seabed minerals and mine them again.
read at noblemtl.com
Minerals aren’t just copper and zinc, right?
The world of minerals is quite diverse, so the submarine mining ships and skeletons developed by Ceron literally change their locations and dig other minerals whose prices have not dropped, and that’s it.
In a word, this chicken game was a game that I couldn’t lose until I got tired of it in the first place.
Because I can change it to a mineral that can make money at any time.
In the first place, they said that the production would be tripled, but I never said that the subjects were copper and zinc.
There’s aluminum, there’s manganese, there’s rare earths, and how many.
‘uh? Wait, rare earth?’
One of the things China does on a regular basis is to use its rare earth share, which has an 83 percent global share, as a weapon.
Even Japan, in the territorial dispute with China, eventually gave up its pride and took a step back in the face of China’s ban on rare earth exports.
‘Shall we learn about rare earths?’
Of course, I know that various contaminants come out during the purification process, but I’ll have to find out first.
Anyway.
I looked at the reporters and said.
“Do you have any questions?”
Then the reporters raised their hands and said,
“When is the S-class bodyguard skeleton released?”
“I heard that Ceron Shoes recently signed a contract with the world’s largest shoe maker…”
Reporters pouring out questions not only about the development of Seron, but also about other businesses.
I answered their questions appropriately, then checked the time and said.
“Today’s press conference will end here. I have a lot of work to do.”
As I went down the podium, I muttered quietly.
“ruler. I rolled the ball, so try to avoid it. Because I don’t care.”
*
The international price of zinc and copper fluctuated greatly with news that Ceron development reduced copper and zinc supply prices by 20 percent, plus a press conference to triple production in the future.
Naturally, mining companies were the most sensitive to this.
“You idiot!”
Wang Bai-chi, the general manager of Hwaryeong Mining, said in anger.
“What? Cut prices by 20 percent and triple production in one year? Aren’t you crazy about the fact that even if you raise the price, it won’t be enough?!”
Then Kim Tae-ryeong said with a firm expression.
“I think he was very determined. You are talking about news like this with your own mouth.”
To hold a press conference that encourages the price of raw materials to fall and to bring the price down.
It was something that a typical raw material producer would never do.
“Perhaps it is not a response to the imposition of tariffs…….”
“What kind of a bastard who does business only if he’s insane would react in this way!”
Kim Tae-ryung sighed and said.
“ha. I don’t think I just touched it.”
“no. He was someone I had to stick with anyway.”
The development of Ceron, which supplies minerals through a completely new route, with existing companies that have already established themselves and made profits by controlling production.
Conflict between the two was inevitable.
So, he conciliated first, and when he refused to conciliate, he put Kangsu, but Seron responded with Kangsu in the same way.
“If 6 percent is a lot, it’s a lot, but it’s not enough to shake the entire global market. Right now, I was shaken by the press conference to increase production, but I think it will go back to normal.”
However, despite Wang Baek-chi’s words, Kim Tae-ryeong still spoke with a serious expression.
“But if you really triple your production in a year, then the crash will become a reality.”
“Then we have to make him bend even more before that. shit. Even if he wasn’t an SS-class…”
“Then what will you do?”
“Contact other companies and lower our prices too.”
Wang Baek-chi said with a cold face.
“You have to show that competition is nothing but destruction.”
*
Zinc mining companies cut prices after Seron.
Of course, it’s not as much as Ceron, but at 10% level, but it’s probably proof that they’re seriously engaged in this fight.
But that doesn’t mean it won’t hurt me.
“Here it is.”
When I checked the material the professor had handed me, I said with my eyes wide open.
“Hey. A lot, a lot.”
B. I asked the professor for a list of major minerals in regions where each country has undersea mining rights in case copper and zinc prices plummet.
Although it did not go to commercial mining due to poor profitability, it was not difficult to obtain data because most countries had investigated what minerals were under the seabed.
Naturally, a list of all kinds of minerals that exist on Earth.
“It’s not bad because we use a lot of aluminum. Five. Are there manganese in the Korean area?”
Unlike submarine hydrothermal deposits, which are mainly composed of copper and zinc, manganese shells are mainly composed of manganese and cobalt.
“Both manganese and cobalt are essential minerals for the manufacture of batteries. In terms of price, manganese is comparable to copper, and cobalt is about ten times more expensive.”
“Oh oh!”
“Instead, the overall size of the market itself is small. Combined, roughly half the copper market? However, with the penetration of electric vehicles, we expect the market to more than double in the next few years.”
I said with a bewildered expression.
“Good, good.”
That said, it would make it easier to dominate the market.
Besides, I asked for this data to prepare a plan B that can be avoided at any time since they are targeting copper and zinc now, and nothing less.
“It’s limitless, minerals.”
“Of course. That’s why it’s not common to call undersea resources a black bonanza. Of course, Ceron was the first to commercialize it properly.”
“I admit it.”
read at noblemtl.com
My opponent is holding only one hand, but for me, all the minerals that exist on the planet are like a hand.
“ah. But Professor, what about rare earths?”
“You mean rare earth?”
“Are there no rare earths on the seabed?”
“Of course it is.”
right.
I knew there would be
“The undersea rare earth deposits in the waters of Japan, in particular, are of considerable size. In fact, under the leadership of the Japanese government, we are preparing to mine rare earths using unmanned submersibles.”
“Japan?”
Was this the one you suggested back then?
“By the way, it is said that rare earths are highly polluted, is that correct?”
“you’re right. Rare earths tend to be distributed near radioactive materials, but the problem is that these rare earths are distributed over a very small area. Because the content is so low, a large amount of rock has to be mined, crushed, and refined, but there is no way to prevent radioactivity from leaking in the process. But if it’s an undersea rare earth…”
The professor said with his eyes shining.
“I think we can significantly reduce that pollution. Because the seafloor deposits have already undergone primary refining with lava, their content is very high.”
A rare earth that must be crushed in large quantities to obtain a very small amount.
However, it was said that the damage caused by radioactive leakage could be reduced as much as the content of the seabed rare earth was high thanks to the primary refining of nature.
“But doesn’t that mean that it doesn’t stop radioactive leaks at all?”
“It is unavoidable. But that alone is great. China crushes and refines so many rocks for refining rare earths, so it is done in open ground, but it is still high in content, so it can be refined in a small space prepared for radiation leakage.”
“Ohh.”
rare earth.
Even so, did not China’s weaponization of rare earths have such an impact that even the United States was at a loss and Japan, with its strong pride, retreated?
If I could produce this on my own, it would be absolutely welcomed by countries hostile to China, such as the United States and Japan.
At the same time, it could destroy China’s key strategic resources that touched me, so it’s stupid not to do this.
But no matter how small the contamination is, you’re saying that there will be radioactive leakage during the refining process, right?
“If you do this in Korea, it will be a mess.”
But then an idea comes to mind.
“Did you say there are rare earth deposits in Japan?”
“There may be other places, but first of all, Japan is the closest and largest.”
If you say you do it in Korea, people will probably get up and say it, but in Japan, the situation is a little different.
The fact that China succumbed to pressure on rare earths in the territorial dispute is an important event that left a huge scratch on the pride of the Japanese government and people.
Therefore, Japan has been struggling to secure rare earths in some way since then, but the attempt has never been successful.
Wouldn’t Japan be willing to bear the radioactivity of the first refined undersea rare earths?
I said with my eyes shining.
“I think we should talk seriously about this with the Japanese government.”