Chapter Fifty-Seven Meaning

  "'Warmly welcome the leaders of the Ministry of Industry to guide the work', is this necessary?"

  "Of course, it's necessary. The face is our own, but the face is given by others. The more they attach importance to it, the better our work is done. Less nonsense, let's go in and take a look first. If it's not done well, no matter how good the welcoming ceremony is, I'll still shut it down."

  At the second plenary session of the autonomous region, Premier Zhang Yushe proposed strengthening the industrial construction of the autonomous region. The Ministry of Industry organized many subordinate departments to rush to various places for on-the-spot investigations into the current situation of industrial development in the autonomous region. The first stop was Pingguo Aluminum Company under Zhongye Group, which is known as the third largest in the world today. Everyone in the Ministry of Industry's investigation team wanted to see if the actual situation was true.

  The day before yesterday, the inspection team's convoy set out from Liuzhou and headed south along the wide Liunan Highway. The trees that were planted on both sides of the highway when it was completed were still small saplings at that time. In the blink of an eye, six springs have passed, and the original small saplings have now grown into tall and strong trees, like loyal sentinels standing guard over the wide highway in front of them.

  A smooth cement road starts from Liuzhou, crosses the river and goes over the ridge. The once desolate highway is now lined with lush green rice fields on both sides. The low thatched cottages scattered in the countryside no longer have the smoke curling up from their kitchens. Red brick buildings are rising from the ground one after another. Along the way, the convoy encountered several wedding processions. A big red ribbon was tied to the handle of a hand tractor, fluttering in the wind as it moved forward with a "tutu" sound. The performers on the car were blowing and beating drums, shouting loudly, hoping that more villagers would know about the excitement here.

  After encountering several wedding teams on the way, they finally settled down in Long'an. At night, the industrial inspection team discussed and prepared for the next day's inspection at the Long'an County Government Guest House. When the first ray of sunlight broke through the clouds and shone into the guest house in the early morning, the inspection team had already made preparations to depart and set off directly for Pingguo after getting ready.

  Zhongye Group is a super-large group under the control of the People's Government, with large companies such as Liuzhou Steel, Liuzhou Cement, Beihai Steel, and Hainan Shilu Iron Mine, etc. As industrialization accelerates, this group will inevitably be reformed, and it is difficult for one group to manage so many large companies. As the largest aluminum company under Zhongye, Pingguo Company is definitely at the forefront this time. The visit of the Ministry of Industry's inspection team has a particularly strong flavor, so even if no one notifies Pingguo, they also know that it is time for them to leave their mother's womb and grow independently.

  Zhongye Pingguo Aluminum Industry Co., Ltd. has always been a key object of industrial construction in the autonomous region, and the first phase of the project that has been completed, as well as the second phase that is currently under hot construction, are all key construction projects supervised by the Ministry of Industry. After the completion of the first phase, the company has had the capacity to produce 350,000 tons of refined ore, 100,000 tons of alumina, and 40,000 tons of electrolytic aluminum per year, meeting the growing demand for light metal aluminum. However, with the development of the aviation industry, the demand for aluminum, especially various aluminum alloys, will inevitably increase greatly, so the construction scale of the second phase is expanded on the basis of pursuing quality.

  The convoy of the inspection team drove along Nanbai Highway from Long'an and soon arrived at Pingguo County on the banks of the Youjiang River. The winding Youjiang River runs through the county seat of Pingguo, separating the county seat and industrial area. On the southwest bank of the river is a bustling scene of industrial prosperity, while in the county seat, there are crowds of people coming and going, as well as rows of newly built brick houses. People from surrounding towns like to come to this county seat to stroll around, either to buy cheap goods or to do some business. The lively scene does not belong to the inspection team.

  The fleet quickly left the Nanbai Highway and directly entered a wide road leading to Pingguo Aluminum Company, where many tall buildings, thick pipes, and factory buildings could be seen from afar, as well as steam rising into the sky, proclaiming the company's busy production. One by one, trucks loaded with various aluminum materials passed through the fleet, and the whistle of a train reminded people along the railway that freight trains were about to leave the factory area and rush to distant places.

  As soon as the inspection team arrived at the company gate, they saw the red banner, but no matter how loud the slogans were shouted, they couldn't compare to a real display of strength. After changing into their uniforms and putting on protective gear, the inspection team quickly dispersed and began performing their duties. Of course, Zhang Yu couldn't go far; he had to accompany an important person to understand Pingguo Aluminum Company, and it was necessary for the company's general manager to accompany him.

  "In the 18th century, Britain first obtained steel by smelting using the crucible method. After the progress and coordinated development of physical chemistry knowledge, three major metallurgical systems, namely pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy, and electrometallurgy, had been formed in Europe by the end of the 19th century. Notably, the invention of Volta's pile in 1799 brought electrochemical methods to the world, and humans began to electrolyze copper, lead, zinc, sodium, potassium, and other metals from water. In 1886, Germany electrolyzed magnesium from carnallite, and the United States electrolyzed bauxite (aluminum oxide) to directly produce metallic aluminum the following year. Currently, the most widely used metal smelting technologies in the world have matured, and the main objects of future metallurgical industries will be rare metals."

  Li Si Guang, who studied geology in the UK, proactively explained relevant knowledge to everyone. In the modern workshop, he didn't feel out of place at all. Mr. Li looked around the factory layout and some equipment, nodded slightly, and said: "The company is built very well, I'm sure the Ministry of Industry must have worked hard on it."

  "Director Li is right, our Pingguo Aluminum Smelting Company uses the most advanced electrolysis method in the world today. In 1886, C.M.Hall of the United States and Paul L.T.Heroult of France almost simultaneously invented the method of producing metallic aluminum by electrolyzing molten cryolite. In fact, alumina can also be produced by the Bayer process, both methods have been well applied in the United States. Our factory benefits from the rich electricity resources of the autonomous region and the high-quality bauxite in Pingguo, so we can use either electrolysis or the Bayer process. Now we are visiting one of the five main workshops of the calcination method factory." General Manager Yu Youfu of Pingguo Company also "not to be outdone" came forward to introduce it to everyone, although currently only three people were looking around, while others had gone back to work.

  Producing one ton of alumina consumes more than ten tons of fresh water, nearly 500 degrees of electricity and a ton of coal. The booming development of Pingguo Aluminum Company relies on the rich mineral resources around it, abundant power supply and the life-giving Youjiang River, so using the phrase "unparalleled" to describe its superior living environment is definitely not wrong. Located between Baise and Nanning, with a distance of less than 100 kilometers from both cities, with dual access to railways and highways, convenient transportation and huge market demand, the future of Pingguo Aluminum Company is boundless.

  "After the completion of the second phase of the project, our company is expected to achieve an annual production capacity of 2.5 million tons of alumina...". Mr. Yu took Zhang Yu and another person on a tour around the place, constantly introducing them to things, but Zhang Yu didn't show any expression at all. The original planning and design of this company was all done by him, everything from the project budget to the actual production capacity was in his mind, he just had to calmly follow along with Mr. Li Si Guang, a big shot, who was standing beside him.

  "Director Yu, how about introducing the development of the company's second-phase electrolytic aluminum project?"

  Zhang Yu finally spoke up, and upon hearing the inquiry from "Lao Da", the stone in his heart finally dropped. "Although the electrolytic aluminum production method has been around for over 20 years, it is still not very mature. After the company was established, we not only engaged in normal production but also heavily invested in research work. Currently, we have already developed a 100 kA electrolytic cell, which is a significant improvement from the world's most advanced 4 kA cell in 1888. The electricity consumption per ton of aluminum has been reduced to 15,000 degrees. Of course, there is still some distance from our expected target of 320 kA..."

  Upon hearing the research achievements so far, Zhang Yu finally showed a smile. "These results are very good, and continuing to do so will benefit both the country and the people. However, is it produced according to many standards? Have workers received due guarantees? Let's go take a look in the workshop."

  The 320 kA electrolytic cell was the best in the world at the end of the 20th century. Whoever mastered the technology of large prebaked anode electrolytic cells could almost be said to occupy the technical commanding heights of the aluminum electrolysis industry.

  Moreover, aluminum is the second largest metal, with production and consumption closely following steel. Due to its good performance in terms of low density, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, reflectivity, and corrosion resistance, as well as its excellent ductility, it has excellent plastic processing and casting properties. As a result, the application of aluminum is very extensive, and many industries in the autonomous region are widely using aluminum products, and the same is true for the whole world. Therefore, for a metal with strong consumption demand, having a relatively environmentally friendly and sustainable electrolysis process will have very significant product benefits.

  "Our transmission lines are now almost all steel-cored aluminum stranded wires, and transformer coils, motor rotors, cables, etc. all use metal aluminum extensively. Automobile manufacturing and mechanical processing also cannot do without metal aluminum, especially in the metallurgical industry, where steel smelting, iron alloy production, and special steel production all require aluminum as an additive. Packaging of light industrial products such as cigarettes, candies, medicines, tea leaves, etc. will also consume a large amount of aluminum. With the development of science and technology, more fields will need to apply metal aluminum."

  "This is our No. 1 power monitoring room, and the company's numerous production tasks rely on a large amount of electricity. Without a stable and effective scheduling, monitoring and guarantee mechanism, there will definitely be some hidden dangers in the company's production. However, this problem will necessarily not exist with the commissioning of our third monitoring room..."

  Three people stood in the power dispatch room, looking at rows of flashing red and green lights and a dense array of buttons, not listening to Old Yu's chatter, Zhang Yu thought of other situations.

  The entire Pingguo Aluminum Company was successful, and its important foundation lies in the many power plants on the Hongshui River, such as the Dahua Power Plant, which are too close to here. The aluminum company needs a continuous and stable power supply, so this advantage is unparalleled in any era. In later generations, some aluminum smelting companies may have to build their own nuclear power plants to meet their huge electricity demand, but Pingguo Aluminum Company will never need to, because after the Hongshui River cascade power plants are completed one after another, there will be more power supply, and it is impossible to have a shortage.

  Close to the raw material supply area, with abundant energy supply, convenient transportation, and vast market space. There's nothing perfect in this world, but Zhang Yu really couldn't find anything that would restrict the company's development. Looking at Yu Youfu's face full of joy, Zhang Yu even felt a little envious of his good fortune.

  "Director Yu, come out for a moment!" Zhang Yu thought for half a day and still had to find an opportunity to have a private chat with Yu Youfu. Hearing Zhang Yu's call, Director Yu quickly asked someone in the dispatch room to take care of Li Si Guang, then hurriedly followed Zhang Yu out.

  Just after walking for a short while, Zhang Yu stopped at the corner of a staircase and turned around to ask General Yu: "Do you know what kind of person that man next to me is?"

  This question really stumped Yu Youfu, who could only shake his head to indicate that he didn't know. "Since he came with Minister, he must be from the Ministry of Industry..."

  "Is he from the Ministry of Industry? Does he have a cigarette on him?"

  Zhang Yu unexpectedly asked such a shocking question, and Yu Youfu, who had been following Zhang Yu for a long time, had never seen or heard of it until one minute ago. The Commander-in-Chief of the People's Army and Minister of Industry was going to smoke, so he hastily took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and handed it to Zhang Yu.

  The two of them, each with a cigarette in hand, soon found themselves enveloped in a cloud of smoke at the corner of the stairs. "Sit down, this staircase has been swept clean by the cleaning staff, we can sit for a bit!" Zhang Yu gestured to Yu Youfu to take a seat, and then plopped himself down on the hard concrete step, half-closing his eyes as he puffed on his flavorless cigarette.

  Yu Youfeng had never seen Lao Da look like this before, and his heart was burning with anxiety. He quickly sat down and asked Zhang Yu in a serious tone: "Boss, what's the story behind this person? Do you have to make such an expression?"

  When asked, Zhang Yu could only smile faintly, take a deep drag, and then slowly extinguish the cigarette butt before speaking.

  In 1910, Li Siguang returned to China after studying in Japan. After the Wuchang Uprising, he was appointed as a councillor of the Finance Department of the Hubei Military Government and later became the Minister of Industry. After Yuan Shikai came to power, revolutionaries were squeezed out, and Li Siguang left his home country again to study at the University of Birmingham in England. By the end of 1918, after obtaining a master's degree, Li Siguang decided to return to China to make contributions. During his studies in England, he began to receive funding from the Asia-America Group because all overseas Chinese students would receive funding from the group at that time, and nobody knew his great name then.

  Until he took the letter of introduction from the Asia Group's UK branch, like Wang Zhu and others at the beginning, Zhang Yu Sheng returned to the southwest, only then did he realize that he had missed a great figure, and hurriedly reused him. All this happened just as Zhang Yu didn't know, because he went to Sichuan to see Tang Ren Hui, and also stayed in Sichuan for some time.

  At that time, Li Si Guang, who was dedicated to serving the country, was thoroughly assimilated by Zhang Yu Sheng. In the People's Autonomous Government, a Mineral Resources Development and Management Bureau emerged under the Ministry of Land and Resources. The bureau's main task was to survey and manage mineral resources, especially since it had an intricate relationship with the Environmental Protection Bureau, making Li, the director, almost the leader of both bureaus, as if he had a dual personality, in Zhang Yu's words.

  "So, he's not only here to take a look at our production situation, but also has the power of life and death?" Yu Youfu naturally knew that if they were suspended for rectification, it would have a huge loss and impact on a company or enterprise, especially during this critical period when the aluminum industry was about to undergo a transformation.

  "What's wrong with that? I'd rather have him supervise more strictly!" Zhang Yu said, taking out another cigarette and lighting it up. The nicotine taste was indeed not bad. "I just find it boring, let me tell you the truth. I'm already fed up with this Minister of Industry position, and there are too many things to deal with on the People's Army side, I'm simply too busy. This ministerial position will eventually be handed over, the key is that I don't want my successor to make me feel very uncomfortable!"

  "So, this inspection team is not just inspecting my family?" Muttered to himself, Yu Youfu hastily lit a cigarette and let his thoughts drift away with the smoke. "Boss, what do you mean..."

  "There are people in the autonomous region who want to make trouble, Li Si Guang is a good man, he will stay in the southeast area for a long time, if there's any situation, you'd better cover him! Of course, you should also take care of yourself! If there's any problem with the management reform project, I won't be able to protect you. Moreover, the second phase of the project is very critical, if your aluminum company wants to become a major pillar under the Ministry of Industry, you must do every task well, no matter how small it is!"

  "It turned out to be the case, no matter who wants to make trouble, the aluminum company will not be affected in the slightest..." Yu Youfu almost stood up and patted his chest vigorously, as a result, the ash fell on Zhang Yu's body.

  "Alright, you're a veteran party member and have been working on the front lines for so many years. No one dares to touch you, let alone your company. Just put your heart at ease and work steadily."

  After finishing, Zhang Yu extinguished the remaining cigarette and put it back in the cigarette box. He then took the initiative to put the cigarette box into Yu Youfu's pocket and patted him on the shoulder with a smile before going upstairs alone. Leaving Yu Youfu standing there in a daze, he didn't come to his senses until the burning sensation from the cigarette in his hand woke him up. He reached into his pocket and took out the cigarette box, opening it to find only half of the cigarette left, which was inexplicable.

  "What's half a cigarette?..." After muttering to himself, Yu Youfu put the cigarette box back in his pocket and turned around to quickly run upstairs. He still had many interesting places to show him!

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