Chapter 298： seabed minerals

Underwater operations have always been one of the important research projects in various countries, because everyone knows that there are far more resources on the seabed than on land.

At present, the most advanced underwater operation machine is a wireless remote control diving machine jointly developed by the United Kingdom and Italy in the "Eureka Project" in Europe. It can work continuously for about 240 hours in the sea at a depth of 6,000 meters.

However, this most advanced diving machine can only perform simple shooting, collection and maintenance tasks, and cannot achieve the purpose of mining various mineral resources from the seabed.

When Li Daniu ordered his submarine to tow two engineering robots to a trench near Australia, Li Daniu also drove the steel armor to the location of the submarine.

"Let go of them and prepare to dive."

The most suitable diving depth for a submarine is about 270 meters, which is still a long distance compared to the bottom of the sea.

When the cables installed on the submarine were released, the two engineering robots began to sink from a depth of 270 meters underwater.

"Ultron, let them turn on the power system."

Following Li Daniu's order, the ark reactors on the chests of the two engineering robots lit up, and the underwater thrusters on their backs began to operate, and began to dive at a speed of about 9 knots.

Li Daniu looked at the real-time video of the seabed and asked, "Ao Chuang, what is the depth of this trench?"

Ao Chuang replied: "It is expected to be around 7600 meters."

"How deep is the deepest trench in the world?"

"What is currently known is the Mariana Trench, with a depth of 11,034 meters."

Li Daniu asked: "What is the maximum theoretical depth for our engineering robots to work normally on the seabed?"

Ultron replied: "8200 meters!"

"It's totally enough." Li Daniu laughed.

The deepest place in the sea is the trench, but all kinds of resources on the seabed are not all in the trench. Most of them are distributed in the abyssal plain with a water depth of 3000-5000 meters, and the theoretical working depth of engineering robots is 8200 meters. Totally more than enough.

The engineering robot dived all the way, and the various scenery of the seabed that it captured were all directly ignored by Li Daniu. Compared with these scenery, even all kinds of exotic marine life, they were not as attractive to him as the mineral resources on the seabed.

When the engineering robot finally reached the deepest part of the trench, Ultron said: "The dive depth is 7657.2 meters. Do you want to start the mining test?"

Do you still need to ask? Waiting for a long time is not just for the mining test? Li Daniu said decisively: "Start immediately!"

Following the relevant instructions, the two engineering robots began to use their own detection instruments to detect mineral resources on the nearby seabed.

"Discovery of polymetallic ores."

After Ultron gave a reminder, the No. 6 engineering robot began to dig holes on the seabed. When the ore was dug out, the No. 5 robot began to decompose on the spot.

Ultron continued to report: "Manganese, iron, nickel, cobalt, copper have been decomposed..."

"It's really a good thing." Li Daniu sighed. Compared with other countries that develop seabed resources and focus on energy minerals, that is, mineral resources such as oil and natural gas, what Li Daniu values ​​is metal ores in seabed mineral resources.

As for the reason? Of course, it is because New Tuvalu has no mineral resources, and after Li Daniu developed the Ark Reactor, those natural energy sources are no longer needed.

Polymetallic nodules are just one type of seabed ore, and this kind of ore contains more than a dozen metal elements, each of which is a very important mineral resource.

After waiting for a while, Li Daniu asked: "Have you found niobium, tantalum, zirconite, zircon?"

Ultron replied: "No discovery so far."

The mineral resources that Li Daniu asked about are all of very high value. Among them are the metal elements in the super alloy formula he developed, as well as the special metals needed for the robot smart chip and the Ark reactor.

After thinking about it, Li Daniu ordered: "Ultra, focus the production of the robot production line on the mining robots."

"No problem!" Ultron asked after confirmation, "Your Majesty, how to solve the transportation problem?"

Shipping question?

Li Daniu looked at the engineering robot that was mining mineral resources on the seabed, and knew that this test was considered a success, but he would face the problem of transportation next.

According to the current production progress and material reserves of the robot production line, hundreds of robots will be produced soon. If you want to transport all these hundreds of robots from the factory to the sea, it is impossible to rely on Li Daniu to drive there secretly every night. Then two sets of two deliveries.

If the freight company is hired, then this kind of engineering robot may be leaked.

"Using virtual reality technology, can these robots be made invisible, or change their appearance that can be seen by the naked eye?" Li Daniu thought of a way, and asked: "You can disguise them as construction machinery, and then let the freight company transport them." to the pier, and then I'm trying to figure out how to throw them into the ocean."

"Sorry, Your Majesty, your idea is not realistic." Ultron replied: "My database shows that the delivery of similar construction machinery and equipment will be inspected and accepted by special personnel, even if we can ask When they go to the freight company, they will also follow the normal procedures to conduct a certain degree of inspection on the construction machinery to be transported."

"That's right." Li Daniu asked after thinking about it, "Ao Chuang, do you have any suggestions?"

Ultron replied without any lag: "According to calculations, the most advantageous way is to build a transport aircraft, which can not only transport engineering robots, but also transport the robot production line in Factory No. 2 to your Hiding in the military base, it is even possible to transport mineral resources mined by engineering robots from the sea.”

Transport aircraft?

This is indeed a good way to kill multiple birds with one stone.

Li Daniu asked: "Are there any difficulties for us in terms of technology and materials?"

"According to the technical reserves in the database, it is not difficult to manufacture aircraft." Ultron said: "The materials for making aircraft can also be purchased directly. The only problem is that we do not have a production line."

"Is the production line of No. 2 factory modified, can't meet the production requirements?" Li Daniu asked.

Altron replied: "The production line of No. 2 factory can only produce metal parts with a volume of no more than 1.3 meters And according to the aircraft experimental drawings in the database, many parts exceed this volume , and most importantly, we do not have the capability to produce the overall skin components of the aircraft."

Of course, Li Daniu understood that no matter how perfect the fitting process is, it is not as good as the overall forging effect, but he can't solve the problem of the production line for the time being, so what should he do?

After thinking for a while, Li Daniu asked: "Help me search for the transport aircraft on the market, and report the model of the transport aircraft that is most suitable for transforming into the aircraft we need."

After a pause of two seconds, Ultron replied: "C-5 Galaxy strategic transport aircraft, An-225 strategic transport aircraft, Il-76 strategic transport aircraft. I need to remind you that if you want to buy the above types of transport aircraft, the difficulty It’s like rebuilding a production line.”

Although the purchase of strategic transport aircraft is much less difficult than other armaments, it is very difficult for the new Tuvalu to buy any armaments from abroad, even metal minerals with military value. .

But who's going to pay for it?

Li Daniu laughed and said: "Although I have a lot of money, since no one is willing to sell it to me so easily, I can only get it myself. Moreover, this transport plane is not suitable for direct purchase, because we need Modify it and then carry out secret missions, if you buy it directly, then the plane will disappear by then, which will definitely cause a lot of trouble.”

After finding two reasons for his impending shameless theft, Li Daniu said: "Ao Chuang, help me find out where these types of aircraft are? The best ones are docked at secret military bases, even if it is me After driving away, all its countries dare not speak out directly."