Great Power Technology

"March in the dark? What is it?"

"Come with me."

As soon as he said that, Chen Hao led Ye Zhou into his office, pulled out a file from the computer and opened it in front of him.

"This is all declassified information, but it has not been publicized on a large scale. Take a look for yourself. After reading it, you will know."

Ye Zhou sat down in front of the computer and began to read the materials on it carefully, while Chen Hao picked out key points to explain to him.

"In 1982, Li Gen, the then official of the Ugo state, formulated a bill called the "National Minerals and Minerals Plan," which stipulated that the material and mineral policy plan must be implemented to ensure that in the event of war, the Ugo state has the ability to send troops , will not be affected by the lack of key raw materials.”

“Before this, the U.S. was the world’s largest exporter of rare earths at that time. Its domestic Mountain Pass rare earth mine reserves ranked first in the world, and its rare earth smelting, finished product processing, and derivative chemical raw material production industries were all Dominate the world.”

“The export volume of its rare earths and rare earth products even accounted for more than 90% of the world’s consumption. Whether it is permanent magnets, lasers, glass ceramics, electric light sources, or even agricultural catalysis industries, as long as it is related to rare earths, it is their world. .”

“The operating company of the Mountain Pass rare earth mine is a company called Morley Mining. This company has been reaping dividends from the Mountain Pass mine for thirty years, making a lot of money, and they have abundant cash reserves. By the time we can stop working for twenty years, we can still pay the wages of all employees with ease.”

"After the release of the National Mineral Plan, Moli Mining submitted a report to the officials. The entire report can be summarized in only one sentence."

"They suggested that they should immediately stop mining their own rare earth minerals and instead buy from China. After China's rare earth mineral resources are exhausted, they can sell them back at a high price."

"They did indeed do this. After rounds of cannibalistic bidding, domestic rare earths eventually became cabbage in the international market. Coupled with the leakage of the cascade extraction technology developed by Xu Guangxian, Huaxia The rare earth industry has been almost devastated."

"However, in this feast of wolves stealing domestic rare earth resources, domestic companies are just the soup drinkers, and the international capital giants are the real ones eating the flesh and blood of China."

"This situation lasted until 2005. At this stage, China's rare earth export volume increased more than ten times, but even after adjusting for inflation, the average export price could only reach 60% of what it was 10 years ago."

"In 2005, Xu Guangxian, who led the domestic rare earth industry to the world, formally submitted a letter requesting a halt to rare earth exports."

"However, by this time, it was too late."

"That was the darkest time for China's rare earth industry."

"However, history is never one-dimensional. Just as the rare earth industry is losing ground on the frontal battlefield, a group of people are quietly opening up another battlefield."

"Because rare earths contain a small amount of the same components as nuclear fuel, the mining of rare earth resources is strictly restricted in the United States, and all rare earth producers face high taxes and strict scrutiny. These companies have closed down one after another, and only Moli Mining relies on Live a life nourished by the Mountain Pass Mine.”

“But Morley Mining soon reaped the consequences of its own sowing.”

"In 2002, Moli Mining finally felt the crisis for the first time under the impact of China's low-priced rare earths. They moved all their production lines to China, hoping to make a comeback in China with their own technology."

“Not just them, but every company you can imagine in the rare earths industry is doing the same thing.”

"Magquin, MG, Epson, TDK, FKD, all rare earth companies, their industries range from LED luminous powder to military missile guidance devices. These industries are all attracted by China's cheap resources and manpower. Next, the whole group will move to China."

"A few years after that, a well-known island incident occurred."

“That month, China announced a reduction in rare earth export quotas.”

"The price of rare earths increased 170 times, and the stocks of related industries in an island country without any rare earth resources collectively fell to the limit for two weeks."

"500,000 jobs in Europe were shaken, and industrial output fell by 4%."

"At this time, those Western businessmen realized that everything before was a game within a game."

"At this time, they realized that the rare earth industries that had moved to China no longer belonged to them."

"The chaos in China Rare Earth is a painful past, but at the same time, a group of people took advantage of the apparent pain and marched resolutely in the dark."

"They fully grasped the ignorance of those short-sighted businessmen about the bloody extent of the domestic price war, and quietly started the layout at the same time as the price war started."

"Remember that company called Magkun? This company specializes in producing military guided missile magnets for the U.S. They moved their rare earth industry to China in 2002."

"But in fact, in 1995, a small company called NEO already controlled 10% of MagQueen's shares."

"The holdings are small and unobtrusive."

"However, after 2005, the number of shares jumped to 90% within one year."

“NEO’s mergers and acquisitions are just a microcosm of many mergers and acquisitions. In addition, there are Junan Group, Heyi Mining, and Huanshuo New Materials. They are hiding in the dark, silently and resolutely devouring the flesh and blood of those international giants. "

“All these companies — they’re all just shadows, shadows of the same giant.”

"This behemoth is called Shenghe Resources."

"The 100% equity controller of Shenghe Resources has a name you are absolutely familiar with."

"Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences."

"This is the march in the dark."

Chen Hao threw away the cigarette butt in his hand and looked at Ye Zhou, who was still sitting in front of the computer.

The latter's face was expressionless, not because he had no mood swings, but because he was too shocked and forgot what kind of expression he should respond to.

After sighing, Chen Hao continued to speak:

"So, your worries are actually unnecessary."

"Indeed, we cannot make the high-precision lenses you require. This is already an extremely marginal industry in the rare earth industry."

"However, we are 100% sure that even if we can make it, they will not be able to build it."

"They have no choice - no one wants to experience another 170-fold surge."

"We did not solve the lens problem in advance. It is true that we overestimated the capabilities of domestic companies. But so what? We must give them a chance."

"If you don't seize this opportunity, it doesn't matter. Just keep working hard next time."

"Because, as long as it's related to rare earths, there will always be someone to help us pay the bill."

"We'll make an offer they can't refuse."

"In other words, it's not a condition."

"But a threat."