Chapter 39

Tungsten is a metallic element. Its chemical symbol is W, with an atomic number of 74, a relative atomic mass of 183.85, an atomic radius of 137 picometers, and a density of 19.35 grams per cubic centimeter. It belongs to the VIB group of the sixth period (the second longest period) in the periodic table and is a type of non-ferrous metal with excellent properties.

Although tungsten is relatively scarce in nature and is considered a rare metal, it has a wide range of applications. The most well-known use is the tungsten filament in light bulbs, as well as materials that can withstand high temperatures. Tungsten is one of the metals with the highest melting point.

Yang Yuanzhao, who had been in 1908 for many days, was encountering tungsten for the first time. He was surprised to find that tungsten was a valuable material, with one of the highest melting points among metals. It plays a significant role in many alloys. China is the largest exporter and one of the largest reserves of tungsten, with Jiangxi Province being a major tungsten-producing area. Tungsten was just beginning to be used in this era, primarily in military applications, such as the tungsten-containing steel used by Germany to increase strength and reduce overall weight, which was a very successful alloy. In later times, tungsten was widely used in various metal alloys, especially those with high melting points and hardness.

Yang Yuanzhao turned to Yang Shixun and asked, "Uncle Shi, does our Yang family chamber of commerce have a presence in Jiangxi?"

"Of course, Jiangxi is a key town on the Yangtze River, and we definitely have a presence there. We are responsible for purchasing local specialties and selling some of our products. What do you need, Young Master Yang?" Yang Shixun asked, slightly puzzled.

"I want to purchase a batch of black ore. Can it be done?"

Yang Shixun recalled for a moment and asked hesitantly, "Black ore, that is a specialty of Jiangxi. Many foreign merchants are buying it, but I don't know what they use it for."

In this era, the Chinese had not yet realized the importance of tungsten ore. In Jiangxi, where tungsten ore was found, people began to control entire mountains, relying on their wealth and power to dominate the mining rights. From then on, every load of black ore exported from China carried a heavy toll, and many people lost their lives.

Such domination only enriched a few families. They did not understand the importance of tungsten ore. Even if they raised the price significantly, the overall price remained very low. They were essentially selling resources.

The discovery of tungsten ore in Jiangxi was first made by the British, but it was the Germans who truly recognized its value. Tungsten alloys played a significant role in many steels, and since the Germans began to pay attention to this mineral, they have been importing large quantities from China every year.

The importance of tungsten ore was recognized and utilized by the Germans, and it became famous worldwide. A comprehensive and high-performance alloy steel system, including tungsten steel, tungsten sand, and tungsten ore, was thus formed.

"I need 10,000 tons of black ore. Can you manage that, Mr. Yang?" Yang Yuanzhao said straightforwardly.

"Black ore is abundant, but 10,000 tons is quite a large amount!" Yang Shixun said, then suddenly fell silent. Yang Yuanzhao was taken aback but quickly understood. Yang Shixun was not unwilling to help, but the quantity was too large. If it were 20 years ago, black ore would have been as common as ordinary stones, and no one would have known its use. It would have been available in any quantity for the cost of labor. However, after foreign compradors discovered that black ore was tungsten ore, its price skyrocketed. 10,000 tons of black ore was a substantial amount of wealth. The Yang family and Yang Yuanzhao were connected through the Baokeng Company, and it was absolutely impossible to advance such a large sum.

Understanding this, Yang Yuanzhao said, "Money is not a problem!"

"Young Master Yang, do you know how much 10,000 tons of black ore would cost?" Yang Shixun was surprised and asked instinctively.

In just seven days, Yang Yuanzhao had accumulated 140,000 yuan. In this era, the price of tungsten ore was still very low. The cost of extracting and processing the ore was extremely high, and the price of tungsten concentrate was almost a thousand times that of ordinary black ore. One dan (about 50 kg) of black ore would not exceed 50 cents, and one ton would be about 10 yuan. However, 10,000 tons would amount to about 100,000 silver dollars, a significant sum.

"I will deposit 100,000 yuan in the Weijia Bank, specifically for the purchase of black ore. The more, the better. When the time comes, please try to deliver it to Shanghai," Yang Yuanzhao said.

"No problem!" Yang Shixun nodded. Apart from the fact that Yang Yuanzhao was specifically mentioned by Yang Shitang to be a shareholder, this 100,000 yuan business was a significant deal. For the Wuhan branch, it was a good business, even though the profit margin was low. The Yangtze River provided a convenient route between Jiangxi and Shanghai, making transportation relatively easy, even with ordinary flat-bottomed boats, so he did not even mention the shipping costs.

"I'll go and arrange it for Young Master Yang."

"No rush. It's fine if the ore arrives when we reach Shanghai," Yang Shixun said proudly.

Yang Shixun had good reason to be proud. Yang Yuanzhao knew little about the Yang family chamber of commerce, only learning a bit from Yang Yue. The Yang family chamber of commerce was a behemoth in late Qing China.

In fact, many things in the Qing Dynasty were quite peculiar. Chambers of commerce and merchant guilds had developed to a terrifying degree. Through the collective efforts of many merchants, these guilds were probably not much worse than the large state-owned enterprises of later times, with vast scales and high profits.

The Yang family chamber of commerce was one of these behemoths, far exceeding expectations. Without even mentioning its assets, its annual turnover was at least in the tens of millions of taels, and not just a few tens of millions. The Yang family's business encompassed marketplaces, shops, logistics, and retail, with annual cash flow reaching tens of millions. The profits were substantial, and if someone were to provide a bit of guidance and modernize the business, the efficiency of this behemoth would greatly improve, and its profits and turnover would be even more impressive.

Of course, Yang Yuanzhao was not foolish enough to do so. In the old era, merchants and families had complex relationships. They seemed powerful but were like castles on sand, easily washed away by the tide. Not to mention whether he, as an outsider, could gain power within the family, even if he did, what would it matter? The complex relationships and outdated industrial structure would be a headache, with internal consumption far outweighing production. It would be better to start anew, using the integrated machine and collaborating with several major families, leveraging the power of the four major forces to develop his own industry. Once heavy industry was established, it would be a surging river, sweeping across the land.

With the new industrial methods, new machines, and a large number of carefully trained workers, all these elements in place, and with his forward-thinking perspective as a穿越者 (time traveler), the advanced design and increased efficiency, reducing costs, such products would surely dominate the market, and there would be no reason for failure.

Finding another excellent raw material, Yang Yuanzhao was incredibly excited. Avoiding the gazes of Wu San and Yang Shixun, he quietly collected some waste slag. His movements were subtle, and the disordered waste slag was piled layer upon layer, so no one would notice that Yang Yuanzhao had quietly taken a large piece.

The integrated machine, which could hold up to 8,000 cubic meters, was a 20-meter cube. Compared to the tens of meters high slag mountain, it was insignificant. Yang Yuanzhao did not dig up a large amount at once but collected a little here and a little there, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. He walked around the slag mountain, completing the material collection in less than 10 minutes.

The integrated machine, which had been empty, was once again filled with materials. The ordinary granite and soil that had been decomposed for over a day yielded mainly copper and iron, which were of low value and heavy. With no place to store them, Yang Yuanzhao often used them as fuel for the integrated machine. In the slag mountain, most of the iron had already been extracted, leaving other minerals. Besides the small amount of tungsten, there were rare earth elements and other rare metals, as well as precious metals. Yang Yuanzhao carefully retained these, as they were important additives for future alloys. The 21st-century optoelectronics, electromagnetics, and new materials all relied on rare earth elements and other trace elements. These treasures could not be wasted.