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Chapter 821: Chapter 713: Can Seawater Refine Gold? (Please Subscribe!)
Fighters always acted with the sole purpose of achieving their goals, by any means necessary.
Being robots, they lacked any sense of emotion or distinction between right and wrong, existing only to execute orders and to embody Tang Qing’s will. Tang Qing was genuinely concerned that without a reminder, the fighters might act recklessly again.
The treasure hunting projects on land and ocean had already begun, and he believed that results would soon follow.
For those who held clues and were ’innocent,’ Tang Qing could only preemptively apologize for their impending psychological trauma. After experiencing so much, Tang Qing’s heart had gradually hardened, and he had less random kindness for those unrelated.
I don’t kill people, merely seek wealth, especially if it’s buried and ownerless.
Speaking of gold.
Tang Qing was reminded of something.
That was the gold in the seawater which, he recalled, was not in low concentration. He had seen many reports in his previous life about scientists continually searching for effective methods to extract gold from seawater after its discovery.
They eventually succeeded.
However, the cost remained prohibitively high, making it unprofitable.
As for how much gold there was globally in the seawater.
Tang Qing didn’t know.
Because there were ’too many experts.’
Their estimates varied widely, with conservative figures at ten million tons, others at twenty million, and optimists at fifty million tons. It was not something easily verified, but the presence of gold in seawater was indeed true.
"Tang Yi, what do you think are the prospects of extracting gold from seawater? How difficult is the technology?"
When in doubt, ask. Tang Qing really couldn’t gauge the prospects of starting such a project.
Tang Yi responded, "Commander, the prospects depend on costs versus benefits. As long as the benefits exceed the costs, then there are prospects. Developing a profitable technology for refining gold from seawater is not difficult.
The gold in seawater primarily adheres to suspended particles. The mainstream method involves using gel-like substances scattered into the seawater, which through their adsorption properties, collect those suspended particles, thereby extracting the gold.
The main technical difficulties lie in the cost of the gel substances and the separation extraction techniques. These are not very challenging, but with current methods and scale limitations, it is challenging to profit, breaking even at best."
"Oh? So it is feasible." Tang Qing’s eyes lit up.
Costs.
Just equipment and manpower.
And neither of those required money; the significant cost would likely be in consumables.
As long as it doesn’t lose money.
This business was worth pursuing.
Because he was after the gold. 𝒏𝙤𝙫𝒑𝙪𝙗.𝙘𝒐𝙢
Losing some paper currency was nothing.
"Commander, that’s correct," Tang Yi replied.
"Good, initiate the project formally. As soon as the technology matures and costs and revenues balance, inform me," Tang Qing commanded, deciding to proceed. If successful, it would be another source of gold.
Tang Qing nowadays.
His love for gold was not solely because it could act as collateral for issuing the Asia Dollar, but also for its inherent monetary properties, recognized globally as a trade-settling medium, apart from national credibility.
Although few countries used gold for settlement in recent years.
That doesn’t detract from its status.
Humanity had moved beyond the lengthy gold and silver standards, recognizing the intrinsic value of these metals. The United States might have dethroned gold, but it never ceased its gold reserves; this reveals much.
Central banks worldwide still regard gold as an essential safeguard of national currency value.
It’s not that the countries are foolish.
But they cannot erase the monetary attributes of gold.
The United States, while actively promoting its credit currency, never relaxed its hold on gold reserves, even continuously stockpiling them, clearly indicating that gold is very important, highly significant.
Significant enough that the United States, despite debasing gold, never dare to relax its efforts.
Because.
It’s a strategic move.
A move that can save the day at critical moments.
...
United States.
San Francisco.
Pross Shipping Company.
Early morning.
Brownnett was summoned to the company, almost giddy with excitement at the thought of finally being able to sell this subsidiary. Originally a substantial business owner and collector, he was particularly keen on treasure hunting and had earned a considerable sum during the internet boom.
Full of confidence, he was ready for a spur-of-the-moment treasure hunting adventure.
So he founded a company, purchased two shallow-water salvage ships, and other professional gear to see how his luck would turn out. He wasn’t relying on this to make money but merely for fun, figuring he could sell everything off if he grew tired of it.
At first, all was well.
The company was making money.
The stock market was making money.
He would also try his luck along ancient shipping routes, even though he always came back empty-handed, but what he enjoyed was the process, the treasure-hunting journey, and he didn’t care at all whether he found anything or not—it was just like going on oceanic travels.
Unfortunately.
The millennium year.
The internet bubble burst.
The crisis swept globally.
His stocks decisively lost value, and the company was poorly managed, gradually becoming difficult to operate, until it eventually closed down. His status had progressed from nearly entering the ranks of billionaires to now guarding a salvage shipping company that nobody wanted.
It’s important to note.
In the United States, such companies are not scarce.
At that time, during a global crisis, who would want his company?
He missed the optimal selling period, the ships were inevitably aging, and the equipment was considered obsolete. Under this vicious cycle, no one wanted the company anymore, and the most crucial point was, it was a company fully funded by him, even bankruptcy protection was not an option.
He could only choose to shut down the company and minimize losses.
Now.
He had his first interested buyer in two years.
This made Brownnett, who had retired to his home to garden and tend to the grass, overjoyed, because it seemed like the other party was not just showing interest but was ready to make a direct purchase, otherwise, they wouldn’t have made an offer over the phone.
Arriving at the base.
The place was overgrown with weeds.
But there was still a person guarding it, an elderly Black man, otherwise who knows, it might have been dismantled and sold as scrap metal. Periodically, he would still have people maintain it a bit, but only the power and electronic equipment, the ship’s appearance wasn’t repainted.
This is the ship.
It was made of marine steel, still from the nineties, how could it possibly be so quickly corroded by the weather? Despite the rust and patchy surface, the outer layer of iron oxide is enough to withstand the long years of corrosion.
Arriving at the place.
He saw a black Volkswagen SUV parked in front of the main gate.
A middle-aged white man in a white suit stood there, flanked by two Black bodyguards, looking powerful and imposing.
Brownnett hurried over.
"Are you Brownnett?" the white man asked indifferently, looking at him first.
Feeling the light ’air of nobility,’ Brownnett hurriedly nodded with a smile, "Hello Mr. Charlin, I am Brownnett, the owner of this shipping company, you previously mentioned wanting to purchase my..."
The white man cut him off, "Take me aboard to take a look, if it’s suitable, I will buy it."
"Ah... alright sir, this way please..."
Although interrupted, Brownnett was not angry; he too used to dislike when people wasted his time with unnecessary talk. Straight to the point was so much better, exactly what he preferred.
Talking about money was more realistic.
Brownnett led the way.
Half an hour later.
Both the eighty-meter-long salvage ships had been thoroughly inspected.
Brownnett tried hard to point out the ’advantages’ of the ship, which were basically ’she still runs, try if you don’t believe,’ wanting to sell it off. He was scared by this company, because such ships, unless really needed, who would buy them, especially when others could afford to buy new, more advanced ones.
"Not bad, let’s go with the price I mentioned on the phone," said the white man casually.
"Mr. Charlin, this price is a bit low... I..." Just as he was about to negotiate, but he couldn’t continue, for he was intimidated by that chilling gaze of the other man, damn it was frightening.
He even stepped back two steps in fright.
"I’m only willing to pay this price, not a penny more. Agree, and I pay now, disagree, you can only wait for them to be scrapped and returned to the furnace," said the white man coldly, with a piercing intensity that seemed to penetrate his heart.
"I... agree."
Brownnett really wanted to take a gamble, but unfortunately, he was startled by that look just now.
Two million two hundred thousand dollars.
Already a loss till grandma’s home, but still better than selling it as scrap.
"Do you need crew? Some of my previous crew members are still out of work, I can introduce you."
"No need."
"I know a salvage and diving equipment company, low price and good quality."
"No need."
"..."
After selling the company, Brownnett felt relieved, non-stop chattering, but the white man still didn’t show a ’collaborator’s’ smile. Brownnett inwardly cursed, what an unfriendly guy.
