Chapter 327: Magnetite Discovered
After seeing Qu Yong'an off, Li Tang began tidying up his belongings, preparing to head home for the New Year.
After a year of constant hustle, returning home for a few joyful days during the New Year holiday was truly the happiest time.
Watching Li Tang pack up his office, Alice walked in, her face carrying a hint of melancholy.
She wasn't Chinese and couldn't fully immerse herself in the company's atmosphere, now brimming warmly with joy and happiness.
Nor could she fully grasp the anticipation and longing every Chinese person held for this festival.
This was the reward everyone gave themselves and their families after working tirelessly all year.
"I plan to go to Perth. Do you have any work-related instructions?" she asked Li Tang.
"Everyone else is on holiday; why don't you take a break too? Perhaps head back to America?" Li Tang raised his head.
"Right now, my father is probably still at the Grasberg Copper and Gold Mine in Indonesia handling a mining accident. My sister is in school. I'd be alone at home; it wouldn't mean much."
Alice sounded a bit sad, the company's festive atmosphere intensifying her loneliness.
Usually busy with work and constant travel, she felt her days were fulfilling and passed quickly.
However, whenever the fast-paced life was abruptly interrupted, she felt inexplicably lonely.
As the chairwoman of Lianying Mining, plenty of handsome young men courted her attentively.
She knew clearly that all she needed to dispel this loneliness was a romantic relationship.
But somehow, she'd suddenly become particularly picky about choosing a partner, never finding anyone suitable.
"Perhaps you could go traveling?" Li Tang suggested. After all, work wouldn't come to a halt simply because one person was missing.
With Fred holding the fort at Lianying Mining, there was no fear of chaos breaking out.
"Traveling alone isn't very interesting," Alice shook her head, adding, "My favorite thing is to work; it's where I can truly demonstrate my value."
"Don't push yourself too hard," Li Tang said, a bit embarrassed, "Since you're asking about work, you've reminded me about something important."
"Go ahead," Alice took a seat opposite Li Tang.
"Previously, Lianying Mining faced a trust crisis; someone behind the scenes orchestrated it. According to our investigation, we're pretty certain that Rito and Bihobito were involved."
"Yes, and it infuriates me. But up to now, we can't take any action against them. We tried to file a lawsuit for violations of fair competition, but the lawyers said it's almost impossible without concrete evidence."
Alice was still brooding over this matter.
However, after several discussions with Fred, they both understood clearly that they couldn't yet touch Rito and Bihobito.
For Lianying Mining, rather than wasting energy retaliating, it was more prudent to quickly complete the mine construction and begin extraction!
That was the real priority.
In business, profitability was key—everything else was merely details.
"They've pressured multiple smaller companies, forbidding them from cooperating with us. They're very careful, communicating mainly verbally, without leaving any documented evidence. It's difficult to find proof or anyone willing to testify for us. After all, everyone is in business to make money and wouldn't want to offend giants like Rito and Bihobito."
Though Li Tang said this, he still felt frustrated at leaving the matter unresolved.
"Our current strength isn't sufficient to confront these two giants," Alice saw the glint of determination in Li Tang's eyes. Having been by his side for so long, she instantly understood that her boss was developing new plans again.
Whenever he had innovative ideas about new projects, he always radiated a confident glow.
"Do you have any plans?" she asked.
"Not a very clear one yet. The surge in iron ore prices has elevated Bihobito to the position of the world's largest mining company, with Rito firmly among the top three!"
Li Tang sighed, "They're massive entities with robust overall strength and impregnable defenses."
"Their plots have already failed, and they haven't caused us significant damage. Honestly, I think we don't need to worry too much about past grievances. Competition in business is normal."
Alice was angry but not unable to let go, "To make money, sometimes these large companies can justify almost anything. Back when I worked at Goldman, I encountered an acquisition case where our mergers department packaged a financially disastrous company to appear very attractive, enticing buyers to pay heavily. The buyer suffered massive losses, nearly bankrupting their parent company, while Goldman profited enormously."
Compared to such dirty transactions she witnessed firsthand, the pressure from Rito and Bihobito was within reasonable business competition.
"You're right," Li Tang nodded without refuting her, though he had his own thoughts, "But life is about pride and standing your ground. Regardless of previous friction or grievances, once we enter Austria's iron ore market, direct competition with Rito and Bihobito is inevitable, leading to even fiercer conflicts."
"Your concerns make sense," Alice agreed.
The previous pressure was merely an initial test.
No one knew what would happen next or what tougher tactics Rito and Bihobito would employ.
"We must prepare early!"
"How?" Alice had never considered this before.
The mere thought of confronting Rito and Bihobito directly filled her with hopelessness, unable to visualize victory.
Under such psychological pressure, how could they possibly prepare?
But hearing Li Tang's words, she felt again that her boss had foreseen far beyond her.
Her boss always had greater vision.
Moreover, he seemed supremely confident.
"We must always be ready to face another strike from these giants. Additionally, once Lianying Mining truly grows strong, and our holding company controls the industry's lifeline and financial power, direct confrontation with Rito and Bihobito won't be impossible!"
Li Tang narrowed his eyes slightly, envisioning a future wielding immense power, "Given the opportunity, perhaps we can destroy either Rito or Bihobito—or even suppress both!"
"Is there such an opportunity?" Alice couldn't imagine how to achieve this, "These two giants earn billions annually and appear to be flourishing. I genuinely don't know how we could eliminate them."
"They'll eventually hit a downturn—even a vigorous tiger occasionally dozes off!"
Li Tang had ambition but also recognized how challenging it would be, requiring immense strength, luck, and support from many others.
Everything had to align perfectly.
"No one can stop Lianying Mining's mine construction now. By the end of this year or early next, we'll definitely begin extracting iron ore! Starting next year, we'll begin profiting!"
He knew they needed money to get things done, "Starting this year, set up another specialized team within the investment department of our holding company. It doesn't need many people, but every member must be exceptional!"
"What will this team's responsibilities be?" Alice asked curiously.
"They need to constantly monitor global mining trends and even forecast future developments. This is essential for our iron ore, copper, and gold mining businesses!"
"I understand." Alice grasped the advantages of staying informed about global markets to avoid risks.
"This team will also monitor the financial conditions and investigate the strategic development plans of Rito and Bihobito!"
"That will be very challenging. Company strategies and management details are confidential. Doing this borders on spying on business secrets."
"We don't need every detail, but at least grasp their general financial condition and major investment initiatives!"
Li Tang had previously stated his intentions to confront Rito and Bihobito.
To defeat such large tigers, it was crucial to know one's enemy thoroughly and strike when they were vulnerable.
Opportunities always arose—it depended on whether they could seize them.
"Alright, I'll try my best to meet your requirements." Alice felt a newfound pressure but also immense motivation.
Instantly, she was filled with renewed energy.
If Li Tang's vision became reality, absorbing Rito or Bihobito would propel Lianying Mining or Li Tang's Shengshi Holding Company to unprecedented heights.
Wouldn't being chairwoman of the world's largest mining company feel incredible?
She'd found a clearer, more motivating goal.
The priority now was assembling an elite team.
Carrying her simple luggage, Alice boarded a flight to Perth again.
Li Tang also carried a hefty bag, packed full of New Year goods, returning to Qianzhou province.
Last year he celebrated at his aunt's home in Sanxiang province; this year, the family agreed to gather in Zhucheng.
Li Tang's large riverside villa had been fully renovated and furnished, welcoming his grandparents from the countryside. They even slaughtered a pig from the village, bringing it into the city.
The family celebrated joyously.
However, the holiday turned out busier than usual, with constant visits from colleagues and local officials.
Eventually, after the relatives left and grandparents returned home, Li Tang quickly returned to Yanjing with his parents.
Back in Yanjing, he resumed his busy schedule, swiftly addressing company matters, preparing plans, and soon heading to Huizhou Province with a technical team.
There, new projects and new challenges awaited him once more.
Zeng Yuhua sometimes thought with deep regret that this money should have originally belonged to their Geological Exploration Bureau. Because of just a few million yuan and a 30-million exploration project, they had transferred all the prospecting rights to someone else—what a terrible loss!
"We did transfer them, but the transfer fee wasn't that much," Li Tang responded, thinking that the price he gave was fair enough, perhaps even on the lower side. "The reason we transferred our shares was mainly to support the higher-ups' intentions. The Shazhai molybdenum mine is the second-largest molybdenum deposit in Asia, boasting excellent extraction conditions. Handing it over to a state-owned enterprise was undoubtedly the wisest choice."
"Ah…" Zeng Yuhua sighed heavily. If the exploration rights had remained with their bureau, they would have struck it rich by now. Unfortunately, their lack of foresight at the time, driven by immediate financial constraints, had led them to hand over those rights to Li Tang, ultimately benefiting him significantly.
Upon deeper reflection, Zeng realized that even if they'd retained the mining rights, the bureau wouldn't have had sufficient funds to develop the mine anyway.
"Once Shazhai molybdenum mine starts production, your bureau will receive 3% royalty annually, which is substantial revenue. If production reaches tens of thousands of tons annually, generating billions in revenue, your bureau could easily earn over a hundred million yuan per year," Li Tang reassured him. He had intentionally secured these royalties for the Geological Exploration Bureau, believing himself fair and honest, never deceiving anyone.
The idea of receiving over a hundred million yuan annually without lifting a finger was almost impossible to find anywhere else. Had the bureau stubbornly held onto the exploration rights without developing them or transferring them, they wouldn't see a single penny.
"At least your mentioning this does offer some consolation," Zeng Yuhua confessed, internally conflicted between gratitude and resentment toward Li Tang. Of course, Zeng couldn't fully grasp Li Tang's larger ambitions. Everything had been orchestrated perfectly by Li Tang from the start.
Although Zeng expressed frustration verbally, there was nothing substantial he could do to Li Tang; he merely envied how Li Tang had easily made hundreds of millions of yuan. Moreover, the bureau's staff frequently grumbled about the decision to sell the exploration rights cheaply, even spreading rumors that Zeng himself had incompetently undersold the valuable rights. Where could he possibly argue his case?
Meeting Li Tang—the root cause of all his troubles—Zeng could at least vent a bit.
"Anyway, let's stop discussing the past. Today, we should primarily focus on Nihe iron mine," Zeng finally returned to the main topic.
Qu Yong'an had no interest in Li Tang's past disputes with the Geological Bureau. His primary concern was the Nihe iron mine. "The exploration area for Nihe iron mine is extensive, spanning along this river," Qu explained, already prepared with detailed documentation and laying out various geological and geophysical materials.
"The site is located at the edge of a volcanic basin, intersected by a fault zone. In the northwest region of the basin, a significant magnetic anomaly has been detected," Qu explained thoroughly, familiar with the technical details. "After identifying this large magnetic anomaly through aerial magnetic surveys, our Geological Bureau invested significant manpower and resources into extensive iron ore exploration."
Zeng provided further historical background: "We've conducted small-scale and large-scale magnetic measurements, gravity surveys, electrical methods, and even seismic surveys, yet no iron ore layers were discovered. The anomalies remain puzzling."
Li Tang listened carefully, nodding thoughtfully.
"In addition to surface exploration, each exploration stage included drilling various holes, both shallow and deep. Yet, still, no iron ore was found," Zeng explained, deeply troubled by this unresolved mystery that had persisted for many years.
"What could be causing such extensive magnetic anomalies?" Qu Yong'an wondered aloud, puzzled. "Typically, only underground magnetite would cause such anomalies. However, no matter how thorough our exploration or drilling, we found no iron ore. It's completely illogical, almost ghostly."
"It's certainly caused by magnetite," Li Tang confidently asserted.
"Experts nationwide have also drawn this conclusion, but all subsequent tests have failed to find iron ore," Zeng cautioned, believing in Li Tang's capabilities yet noting many esteemed specialists had already failed here.
"We've conducted exhaustive surface investigations. Just before the New Year, we performed preliminary validations, and then immediately started drilling," Qu admitted, eager to make a significant breakthrough. He had begun operations without waiting for Li Tang's arrival, believing in his technical judgment. Successfully discovering ore independently would have brought immense recognition.
"You've already started drilling?" Li Tang asked.
"Yes, we've drilled several holes already," Qu said, spreading out a detailed engineering layout map. He pointed out various drill sites, feeling somewhat discouraged. "We drilled four holes in the areas with the highest magnetic anomalies, but none revealed any iron ore layers. At least we validated previous geological assumptions."
Noticing the company's lavish spending on drilling, Li Tang casually asked, "How much is Haigang Steel planning to invest in this project?"
"Our Chairman Lu stated clearly that if there's potential for a large mineral deposit, spending over a hundred million yuan isn't an issue. He can directly authorize it," Qu answered.
"Impressive commitment," Li Tang acknowledged, relieved. Such a large-scale investment was indeed necessary, as limited budgets had hindered previous explorations, along with outdated technologies that limited deep drilling capability.
"But investing lavishly is meaningless if we don't find minerals," Qu worried.
"How deep are the four drilled holes?" Li Tang inquired.
"Mostly two to three hundred meters deep. The strongest magnetic anomaly site was drilled to four hundred meters, yet no minerals were found," Qu admitted, scratching his head, realizing the substantial costs already involved.
"That's insufficient. You need to drill holes of at least six hundred meters, possibly eight hundred or even a thousand meters deep!" Li Tang insisted, confidently pointing to specific locations on the map. "You must quickly arrange large-scale drilling equipment for deeper holes."
"Directly drilling deep holes?" Qu hesitated, recognizing significant costs. A thousand-meter deep hole would cost millions, meaning substantial financial risk.
"What causes the magnetic anomalies in Nihe? Underground magnetite deposits, undoubtedly. The reason previous explorations failed is that they never dared drill deep enough," Li Tang argued firmly.
Zeng quickly acknowledged these practical constraints. "Indeed, previously drilling deep holes required substantial investment, technical expertise, and advanced equipment, making it impossible without funding."
Li Tang understood their limitations and encouraged them, "Haigang Steel has plenty of money; we don't need to economize for them!"
"So, we'll proceed directly with deep drilling?" Qu asked again cautiously.
"Yes, we must employ powerful drilling equipment capable of reaching depths of at least eight hundred meters, preferably up to one thousand meters," Li Tang decisively marked a precise location for the exploratory drill.
"What if no minerals are found?" Qu questioned, still hesitant.
"In exploration, drilling without immediate discovery is typical," Li Tang reassured. "If Chairman Lu blames you, tell him to come find me for compensation."
Qu laughed nervously, knowing that scenario was unlikely. Li Tang reiterated firmly, "Listen to me; there's no other solution. We must drill deep."
Recognizing lingering hesitation, Li Tang elaborated, "Decades of exploration here have found nothing because the shallow and intermediate depths are exhausted. The only possibility left is deeper underground."
"What do you think, Minister Qu?" Zeng deferred to Qu Yong'an. The provincial bureau and Haigang Steel jointly managed the project, with Haigang Steel responsible for all exploration costs, meaning Qu needed to make the final call.
"I trust Li Tang's judgment!" Qu finally declared. "Contact a drilling rig immediately."
Excitedly, Zeng agreed, seeing larger investments as beneficial to his bureau. Li Tang selected the initial drilling site and then returned to the city, awaiting results.
Qu anxiously oversaw operations personally, nearly living at the drill site as equipment roared, drills rotated rapidly, and diamond-tipped drill bits cut steadily through layers of rock.
Finally, reaching seven hundred meters, technicians retrieved the latest cylindrical rock samples, noticing immediately the unusual weight and metallic luster—black stone flecked with blue-tinged metallic patches.
Instrument measurements soon revealed high concentrations of iron oxide—confirming it was indeed magnetite.
"Magnetite! We've discovered magnetite!" the technicians exclaimed urgently, quickly notifying the bureau's senior experts.
Upon hearing the news, experts quickly gathered at the drilling site. Qu, already nearby, rushed over immediately, anxiously questioning as soon as he arrived, "Have we really discovered the ore layer?"
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