The strategic resources in the wars of the last century were steel, grain, explosives, and so on.

In the 21st century, these materials are still strategic resources.

But the status has changed to a certain extent.

Electronic devices have become a strategic material that is much more important than them.

During World War II, Eagle Sauce was able to produce hundreds of thousands of rounds of various types of shells, bombs, detonators, and so on every day.

But in modern times, the number of shells produced per year dropped to more than 100,000 rounds.

Remove the factors of the loss of Eagle Sauce's own manufacturing industry.

The change of shells is also a key factor in this.

Modern artillery shells are no longer iron bombs, but information-based weapons with various guidance chips.

Electronic equipment is everywhere in almost every corner of modern equipment.

This has also led to gallium and germanium, which are raw materials for electronic devices, becoming extremely important strategic resources.

Even civilian-grade electronic devices are capable of playing an important role on the battlefield.

Specific reference, the self-made firepower of armed groups everywhere.

"We're actually thinking about buying some of the mines or mining companies in this area."

Liang Yi said after learning about the conversation between Zhang Xingyang and Sun Hongtao.

"According to you, the current acquisition of gallium and germanium is a profitable and harmless deal."

Zhang Xingyang looked at Liang Yi with some surprise: "Now the price of gallium is so high, won't we lose money if we buy it now?" ”

Even with only a little bit of business understanding, Zhang Xingyang understands that now is not a good time to buy gallium ore.

Because the institute makes a large purchase in the market.

As a result, the price of gallium has been high.

It has even fluctuated to the gallium raw material market all over the world.

In just one week, the price of gallium on the London Futures market has quadrupled or fivefold.

And it's still rocketing.

Even this turmoil has spread to other semiconductor raw materials.

For example, germanium, silicon, and so on.

Liang Yi shook his head: "It's not like that. ”

"The current price climb is mainly caused by our large-scale sweep."

"Normal people know that such a high price is difficult to maintain."

"Sooner or later, the price of gallium will return to its original price range."

"These people all want to take advantage of this turmoil to make a quick buck."

Speaking of this, Liang Yi glanced at Zhang Xingyang with complicated eyes.

"But who knows, we have mastered the technology to smelt gallium oxide on a large scale."

"The application of gallium has really made great progress"

"Otherwise, this group of profit-only capitals will definitely continue to push the price of gallium up tenfold!"

The prices of gallium and germanium have never been particularly high.

Although they are an important raw material for the semiconductor industry.

But the semiconductor industry itself is still in the process of development.

It did not develop to the point where everything was interconnected and everything had to be stuffed with a chip.

Gallium and germanium, which are raw materials, have not been able to sell at a high price.

"Taking advantage of this opportunity, it is entirely possible for us to eat a lot of gallium and germanium ore in the world."

Liang Yi said with glowing eyes.

Now that we know the future development of gallium and germanium, it is now even a high price to buy gallium and germanium ore.

It doesn't matter how much others seem to have lost now.

In the long run, it's definitely earned.

"I didn't expect Uncle Liang Yi to have such an idea." Zhang Xingyang said.

"It's really worth doing."

"But it's not easy to buy mines from abroad."

Buying minerals, especially foreign minerals.

It's always a high-stakes business.

Because of the physical assets involved, it is easy to make it impossible to actually mine minerals due to various circumstances.

This is not without precedent in the past.

Before the domestic purchase of a copper mine in Kangaroo Country, there was an accident.

In the end, hundreds of millions of funds were lost in vain.

"I'll think about that, and it's right to be cautious."

Liang Yi nodded and said.

"It's better to buy it from a country that has a better relationship with us, so that it can also be a little more secure."

Zhang Xingyang thought for a while and said:

"If I'm not mistaken, Ethiopia has a certain amount of gallium ore."

"Uncle Liang, you can communicate with them."

Yang Yi's journey in North Africa encountered many unexpected twists and turns.

However, in terms of power business negotiations, a lot of results have been achieved.

This is because North Africa is largely short of electricity.

Most of them are still agrarian countries, not to mention modern industries.

Not even a lot of equipment from the industrial age was there.

A lot of the equipment is also left over from the former overlord.

After decades of history, it has become unusable.

The appearance of Yang Yi really brought them real hope.

This also gives the institute a lot of influence in these places.

"Among the transactions between Galaxy Power and the local area, there is a treaty on the exchange of minerals for power equipment."

"If we ask for gallium ore, the other party will not necessarily refuse."

Zhang Xingyang then said: "The local gallium ore is an associated ore of bauxite. ”

"It's basically impossible to mine on their own."

The local industrial population is not even comparable to that of a small province in the country.

Although it has a population of nearly 100 million, the vast majority of it is agricultural.

The industrial population is about a million.

This ratio basically means that there is no industry at all.

Moreover, the mining of bauxite requires a lot of electricity.

Large bauxite smelters basically have their own power plants.

If nothing else, just for the electrolytic aluminum, it is not subject to energy constraints.

"Do we smelt directly locally, or do we ship it back to China for smelting?"

Liang Yi said after thinking about it.

"Uncle Liang, let's talk about this issue after you talk to the locals."

Zhang Xingyang didn't think much about this problem.

It was also difficult for the two of them to decide this matter directly.

The key depends on the attitude of Ethiopia on the ground.

In fact, both of them also know that if they talk to each other directly.

The other side is definitely inclined to smelt locally.

Because it can create a lot of jobs.

Quite a bit of a tax increase.

A large-scale electrolytic aluminum factory requires tens of thousands of people to work, to say the least.

However, the investment on the ground becomes enormous.

Liang Yi: "That being said, I still prefer to ship it back to China for smelting. ”

Local smelting is too much trouble.

Whether it's recruiting locally or from within the country.

It's not a simple thing.

Shipped back to China for smelting, there is not so much trouble.

"From all things considered, I still recommend smelting locally." Zhang Xingyang looked at Liang Yi seriously and said.

Liang Yi's thoughts are more from the economic aspect.

While there's nothing wrong with that, the benefits aren't great.

"It's a great benefit for us to further strengthen our presence on the ground."

Nowadays, their local influence is not particularly strong.

Although the power cooperation project is negotiated, they hold each other's energy lifeblood in their hands.

But that's a trump card.

Until the last moment, it is basically impossible to use it.

Because once it is used, it means that both sides will tear their faces.

In contrast, a large factory is set up in the local area.

Recruit a large number of employees.

These people who eat factory meals will consciously speak for them.

——

If Liang Yi's idea is to gradually encroach on the world's gallium and germanium industries.

So as to gain an advantage in the future development of the semiconductor industry.

Then Yang Yi's work is to snatch food directly from other people's mouths.

"Mr. Yang, we have negotiated power cooperation projects in four countries during this time."

At the weekly video conference, the personnel who remained in the camel country reported to Yang Yi.

"A total of 2.4 million kilowatts of contracts have been negotiated."

In four countries, 2.4 million kilowatts is a very small installed capacity.

A large thermal power plant in China can reach more than 5 million kilowatts.

Combined, the four countries are less than half a large thermal power plant.

But considering that this area is basically an agricultural country.

Then you can understand.

They really don't have that much need for electricity.

In many places, not to mention various types of electrical appliances, there are not even electric lights.

He also lived the life of the agricultural era of sunrise and sunset.

"How's your security on the ground?"

After listening to this, Yang Yi didn't ask much about the project, but asked about their safety.

Although it is said that the targeted assassinations are basically aimed at Yang Yi alone.

But there is no guarantee that they will not assassinate these ordinary workers.

"According to the company's course of action, we were accompanied by local police officers when we traveled, and basically we did not encounter any danger."

Although it is difficult to rule out that the other party bribed the police to assassinate them.

But considering the benefits they bring, the local government will still protect the staff of Galaxy Power.

The local people basically have no friendship with them, but they have real interests.

Friendship is unreliable.

And the benefits are reliable.

It is impossible for man to betray his own interests.

Unless betrayal can bring him more benefits.

"Pay attention to safety, we will be the end of the journey after we go to the last country."

Yang Yi said with a little emotion.

Their business trip can be described as thrilling.

Almost everywhere you go, you can encounter a round of assassinations.

Although they were beaten by Cheng Hanjie every time.

But the other party seems to have hit the men's wall and didn't look back.

A new wave of Assassins will still be sent when they get to the next location.

"How's our itinerary?"

After Yang Yi ended the video conference, he asked Cheng Hanjie.

"This afternoon, we're going to drive to the last country."

Cheng Hanjie looked at the tablet in his hand and said.

"South Africa."

South Africa's industrial strength is actually not low.

But they still face the same problem that other countries on the continent face, a lack of electricity.

Other countries are unable to build their own power industry mainly due to industrial backwardness.

South Africa faces a different situation.

Their industry is not backward, but the power industry is seriously underbuilt.

And the management is very backward.

Especially in the 21st century, it's not just the lack of power generation.

It has even supplied more than 95 percent of the country's power companies.

It is also facing an extremely severe economic crisis.

It has reached the point of insolvency, and it is about to go out of business.

"Our negotiations this time are very dangerous. Be sure to do a good job of guarding. ”

Yang Yi said very solemnly.

What they're not going to do this time around is the same cooperation as before.

It's about swallowing up a giant power company.

Prior to this, the local company ESKOM had filed for bankruptcy liquidation with the government.

In order to dispose of this hot potato, the local government sent out an invitation to the world.

It is hoped that other countries will be able to help acquire ESKOM, which is already on the verge of bankruptcy.

Although ESKOM is about to go bankrupt, its size is still much larger than that of Galaxy Power at this time.

It employs tens of thousands of people and even has a nuclear power plant in Cape Town!

Yang Yi wants to eat such a company.

It's like a snake swallowing an elephant!

BUT MOST PEOPLE IN THE COMPANY BELIEVE THAT THEY CAN INDEED SWALLOW ESKOM.

It's not just because of their technical issues.

Or because of the country where they stand behind them!

Of course, there were successful negotiations with several countries before that.

It also gave them a lot of confidence.

"We are ready, even in the face of a certain number of regular troops, we are sure to protect your safety."

Cheng Hanjie's expressionless face was full of confidence.

It's no wonder that Cheng Hanjie is full of confidence.

They just got their hands on a batch of armored vehicles.

Although it is a product that has been eliminated in China, it can still protect the members from stray bullets and shrapnel.

And Cheng Hanjie: They also modified the armored car.

Added a lot of reactive armor, and armor grilles.

Even if the opponent shoots with rockets and light artillery, there is a certain protection.

"Do you think we're going to succeed this time?"

Yang Yi stood in front of the window and looked out of the window.

The capital of the Congo is one of the few modernities on the entire continent.

You can see many high-rise buildings everywhere.

If you ignore the French signboards on both sides of the road.

It gives people the feeling of being in a second-tier city in China.

It can be seen that the former colonists spent a lot of thought on building the city.

But the old era is long gone, and now it is a new era.

"I guess it will work."

As a professional who fights and kills all day long, Cheng Hanjie doesn't know much about business content.

But he could feel that everyone in the team had a strong sense of confidence.

"We're not fighting like we used to."

Yang Yi turned around and said with a frown.

Obviously, she didn't care much about Cheng Hanjie's answer, she just wanted to tell her troubles in her heart.

"The market value of the other party is several times more than ours!"

"If we're not careful, it's not that we eat them, it's that they break our bellies."

Cheng Hanjie said with some surprise: "Isn't our core the technology of ultra-long-distance power transmission? ”

"As long as the technology is still there, the company will be fine."

The speaker has no intention, but the listener has the intention.

Only then did Yang Yi react.

yes, no matter how this company is.

As long as ultra-long-distance power transmission is still in their hands, then Galaxy Power is just a shell.

It doesn't matter if you give it up.

And if you want to get the technology of ultra-long-distance power transmission, it is impossible.

Because this technology is in the hands of the research institute. (End of chapter)