Chapter 74 Belgium and Uranium Mines
On August 18, the four Li Qiwei finally arrived in Brussels, the capital of Belgium.
Belgium has a small population and a small area. It is a typical small country. Its land area is roughly equivalent to a prefecture-level city in China in later generations.
However, the economy is very developed. It was also the first country in Europe to carry out the industrial revolution and complete industrialization in the 19th century.
Unfortunately, due to its land resources and geographical location, it is impossible for it to become a big country.
Belgium is sandwiched between Britain, France and Germany. No matter how hard it is, it cannot make waves.
In the two wars that affected the world, both were beaten to a black face.
It is just that they are unwilling to learn from their neighboring country, the Netherlands, and be a neutral country.
In order to expand its power and increase its influence, Belgium can only find another way.
Therefore, the current king Leopold II, through special diplomatic means (licking the British), obtained the Congo colony in Africa.
But instead of handing this place over to the government, he created the Congo Free State and turned the Congo colony into his private domain.
Because of this incident, Leopold II became world-famous and was recorded in history, but it was notorious.
In order to make money, he recruited labor force in the Congo, causing the death of nearly 3 million Congolese people. He was an out-and-out tyrant.
It was not until 1908 that Leopold II died and his nephew Albert I succeeded to the throne and was not as cruel as his uncle.
Sitting in the hotel room now, Li Qiwei felt helpless when he thought about cooperating with the king in the future.
The key is that he has to cooperate with the other party, because in his private territory, there is the most famous uranium mine in the world: the Hinkolobwe uranium mine.
This uranium mine is located in the Katanga Province in the southern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (after Congo became independent, it was divided into two countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo).
Almost all the uranium ore needed for the Manhattan Project in the United States came from here, and a full 1,200 tons were transported at that time.
At that time, ore separation technology was not yet mature, so the higher the quality of uranium ore, the greater its value.
If mines in the United States and Canada could dig out ore containing 0.03% uranium, it would be considered to have "good" mining value.
So in Hinkolobwe, the ore usually yields 60% uranium.
Even waste rock, or tailings, which is considered too poor quality, contains 20% uranium.
This shows how valuable the Hinkolobwe uranium mine is.
At that time, the United States even blocked the news of the mine and spread rumors to confuse Germany, and finally seized the opportunity to develop the atomic bomb first.
However, it is now 1901, and only Li Qiwei in the world knows the huge value of the Hinkolobwe uranium mine.
He must find a way to take possession of this uranium mine as soon as possible.
Because five years later, Belgium would establish the United Mining Company, and in 1915, the Hinkolobwe uranium mine would be mined.
But it’s not to find uranium, but to find radium.
In real history, since Madame Curie discovered radium, people have discovered that it is very radioactive and can effectively kill diseased tissue in medicine.
So the value of radium has increased unprecedentedly.
In the 1920s, in the United States, radium cream, radium toothpaste, radium water, and radium watches were even crazy, because no one knew that radioactivity was extremely harmful.
When the Belgian Union Mining Company mined the uranium mine in Hincolobwe, it threw away the uranium ore as worthless rocks, just to find traces of radium.
Now, the emergence of Li Qiwei has led to the acceleration of physicists’ research on radioactivity.
History has been changed, so he is very worried that Belgium will mine this uranium mine in advance.
He now needs to think of a reason to participate in the mining of Hinkolobwe uranium mines openly.
On the train to Belgium, Li Qiwei had been thinking about this issue.
In addition to his identity as a physicist, he also thought of a brilliant idea: ceramics. That's right, they are China's most classic products, all kinds of gorgeous and exquisite ceramics.
As a native of the Qing Dynasty, it was only natural for him to bake ceramics and sell them.
Burning ceramics requires a variety of additives. He has a reason to mine, because what he wants to do is: radium porcelain.
On the contrary, if he did not make ceramics but spent all day studying radioactivity, the British government would think that he had ulterior motives and had other agendas.
Thinking of this, Li Qiwei smiled happily and gave himself a thumbs up for his wit.
Wang Luyao, who was reading on the side, saw him smirking and asked: "Brother Qiwei, what are you laughing at? You are so happy."
Li Qiwei walked up to her and kissed her suddenly , Wang Luyao's cheeks immediately turned red.
Although the little witch is carefree and fiery all day long, once it involves these intimate actions, she suddenly becomes gentle, shy, and charming.
"Lu Yao, I'm thinking of opening a ceramics factory, so that these European guys can see our Chinese craftsmanship and make money from them."
Wang Luyao was very excited when he heard this, "Yeah, is it true? , Brother Qiwei, my father also happens to have a ceramics business."
"He has many skilled masters who can transfer them to you when the time comes."
Li Qiwei scratched his head. Her little nose said to her that your father would be very sad to hear this. She started to stick it out even before she was married.
“Don’t worry, Lu Yao, it’s just a plan for now, I haven’t decided where to build the factory yet.”
"Oh." Wang Luyao was a little disappointed, she wanted to help as soon as possible.
Li Qiwei looked at the time and saw that the meeting time agreed with Solvay was coming soon, mainly to discuss the arrangements for the meeting.
So, he talked to Wang Luyao and Xu Qitai, and took Li San towards the agreed place.
In a high-end cafe, Li Qiwei and Solvay, one old and one young, sat opposite each other.
"Bruce, it's been a while since I last saw you. I heard that you published another important paper, which shocked the world of physics."
"Mr. Solvay, you are very flattering. The wave-particle duality of light is just a bold guess, which needs to be verified."
Solvay sighed, "I really envy your brain. "
Li Qiwei smiled and said: "Now you have the opportunity to gather more such brains."
Solway laughed, "Bruce, you are so funny. I will decide the location of the meeting. The environment at the Metropolitan Hotel in Brussels is guaranteed to satisfy you.”
Li Qiwei quickly complimented, “Thank you for your support, and I will be responsible for welcoming the arriving scholars.”
Then he suddenly asked: "Mr. Solvay, I want to set up a ceramics factory with Chinese characteristics, which requires many different types of ores."
"I heard that there are many mines in the Belgian colonies and Congo. I wonder if you can introduce me to the relevant person in charge?”
After hearing this, Solvay was stunned, thinking that you just made light bulbs and now you are making ceramics, you are playing with the combination of Chinese and Western.
“Now King Leopold II has put his nephew, Count Albert of Flanders, in charge of the construction of the Congo.”
“But it is difficult to meet him. It’s not that small. Let’s wait until your factory is built before considering it.”
As soon as Li Qiwei heard this, he knew there was something going on, so he quickly thanked and expressed his understanding.
It is indeed a bit nonsense to try to hook up with the future king by just talking.
However, he will be sure to win Albert sooner or later.
Lao Xu seeks to collect and read! The data has been a bit weak recently.
Don’t worry, brothers, there will be another climax soon.
(End of this chapter)