Zhao Changxing really hopes to finish all the facilities and buildings in the industrial zone before building other buildings. Like now, retreating when the construction completion level is only about 80% will definitely make him feel a little uncomfortable.
Not only that, Zhao Changxing also hopes to set up a fixed mining team - in addition to pyrite, water mines, nitrogen mines, dry ice mines and other mining areas, it is best to station fixed manpower, build professional mining facilities, and run the water
This way, no matter what you do in the future, you don’t have to worry about a lack of resources.
But the reality is that, let alone establishing fixed mining sites, there is no time to build even several originally planned chemical production lines in chemical plants and resource recovery and processing centers here in the industrial zone.
"Time is tight and the tasks are heavy. Things here can only be discussed later. The resource collection mode can only maintain the status quo for now."
The current mining model is that a few people work in the factory when the factory is busy. When the factory is short of raw materials, they drive a space vehicle to some mining sites that have been explored before, such as Shuikuang No. 1.
, Manganese Mine No. 1, Dry Ice No. 1 and other places to go around and extract some resources to maintain production.
This will definitely affect efficiency, but there is currently no time and energy to adjust.
Zhao Changxing sighed secretly again.
With the affairs of the industrial zone temporarily over, the construction of the No. 2 Comprehensive Base has been put on the agenda.
At this moment, there is about a year and a half left before the third generation of humans reaches adulthood. So, let’s use this year and a half to solve their housing problem first.
"There are a total of 60 children in the third generation. When they become adults and can work, I will have more power. By then, whether it is the industrial zone or the construction of the No. 3 planting base
, you can do everything about establishing a fixed mining point.”
"The difficulties are only temporary and will get better in the future. Now, just get over it and it will be fine."
Eight people were left behind in the industrial zone to maintain production. Zhao Changxing returned to Comprehensive Base No. 1 with the remaining 18 adults.
These 18 people, plus 19 in total, are all the strength to build the No. 2 Comprehensive Base.
After a day's rest, the construction of the No. 2 Comprehensive Base began immediately.
The drawings have been prepared by Xiao Xi in advance according to people's requirements. In the planning, the total area of the No. 2 comprehensive base is also 10,000 square meters. Zhao Changxing plans to build 150 houses in it, which can accommodate 300 people.
——The fourth generation of children has also been born, and after the fourth generation there will be a fifth generation, among which there will also be children born naturally by people. In total, 150 houses can satisfy people for about 20 years.
housing needs within the country.
In 20 years' time, although the population will be larger, the engineering capabilities will inevitably be stronger. Then we will just continue to build.
150 houses means an area of at least 3,000 square meters. If you include corridors, passages, walls and other public areas, as well as canteens, warehouses, life support, leisure and entertainment areas, emergency medical areas, etc., the total area will at least double to 6,000 square meters.
Square meters. If it were slightly richer and not so compact, it would be 8,000 square meters.
When finalizing the planning drawings, Zhao Changxing discussed with people: "There is still about 2,000 square meters of spare area. It would be better to build a larger sports venue with this area."
There are very few entertainment and leisure facilities in the several bases on Sedna. Among the specially planned so-called entertainment and leisure areas, there are at most some relatively area-saving, simple and affordable projects such as chess, gyms, and video game rooms.
.There is no place with a vast area similar to the big playground on the earth.
This makes people feel depressed all the time because they cannot move around. And this is obviously not good for physical and mental health.
Now that the No. 2 Comprehensive Base is going to be built, Zhao Changxing simply solves this problem together.
This proposal was unanimously approved by the people. So the planning drawings were developed in accordance with these requirements.
Like the No. 2 Planting Base, the No. 2 Comprehensive Base will also be built underground. After all, it is not a factory, but a place where people live for a long time. Radiation protection requirements still need to be considered.
The construction process is still the same as that of the No. 2 planting base. First dig a pit, then isolate it, lay layers of boards, and make isolation walls internally according to the plan.
Time passed bit by bit, and after laying the foundation of the No. 2 Comprehensive Base, Zhao Changxing suddenly received bad news.
The news comes from Xiaoxi.
"Captain, our gold and platinum reserves have been reduced to close to the warning level. You need to make preparations in advance."
This news made Zhao Changxing stunned for a moment. It took him a moment to react.
An ominous premonition arose in his heart.
Gold and platinum are very rare elements, both on Earth and on Sedna. They are not widely used in industry, and can even be said to be very rare, but their status is quite important.
For example, the surface of some components needs to be plated with a thin layer of gold so that its performance can meet the requirements. For example, in some chemical reactions, a small amount of platinum is needed as a catalyst - its dosage is also not high, but
If not, it won't work.
When the Fire spacecraft left the earth, people were not sure whether they could find rare element deposits such as these two elements from Sedna, so they directly stored some on the Fire spacecraft and asked Zhao Changxing to
Wait for the astronauts to bring them directly.
The gold element brought from the earth was not much, only about one ton, and the volume was only 50 liters. The amount of platinum carried was about the same level.
Because of the small amount used, Zhao Changxing hardly paid attention to the remaining reserves. When prospecting on Sedna, Zhao Changxing also specifically searched for veins of these rare elements, but found none.
"Xiao Xi, how much do we have in reserve now?"
"There are still about a dozen kilograms of gold reserves, and there are still 22.3 kilograms of platinum."
"How long will it last?"
Zhao Changxing still has some hope in his heart. He hopes that these rare elements can at least support the completion of the No. 2 comprehensive base. At that time, people can allocate their energy and spend time to search for these two mineral deposits in other places on Sedna.
But Xiao Xi's answer disappointed Zhao Changxing again.
"Unfortunately, Captain, the platinum element reserve is barely enough, but there is still a big gap in the gold element reserve. The gold element is indispensable for the construction of the core components of the No. 2 base's life support system."
Without a life support system, even if the entire framework of the No. 2 Comprehensive Base is completed, it will not be able to support people's survival internally.
"Why didn't you warn me earlier?"
Zhao Changxing was slightly angry.
"Originally, the reserves were sufficient. But recently, you have adjusted the production plan of the industrial zone and accidentally consumed a large amount of gold elements, resulting in insufficient reserves."
Only then did Zhao Changxing realize that he had decided to build a batch of engineering vehicles some time ago, which consumed part of the gold element reserves.
However, those engineering vehicles are necessary to maintain the normal operation of the industrial zone. Without them, the production efficiency of the industrial zone will be greatly reduced, and it will not even be enough to support the building materials demand of No. 2 Comprehensive Base. But now that they are built, No. 2
The demand for gold elements in the life support area of the comprehensive base cannot be met again.
"Meeting."
Zhao Changxing quickly summoned all the adults and once again gathered in the leisure and entertainment area of Comprehensive Base No. 1. Those on duty in other places who could not come will also participate in this meeting through video.
There is enough space in the leisure and entertainment area, which can also be used as a meeting room.
The number of participants in this meeting reached 41. The 30 second-generation people who originally only had the right to observe and had no right to speak have now become mature and sensible enough after working for several years, and have the qualifications to truly participate in the meeting.
.
As soon as this news from Xiao Xi was announced, people started talking about it. But after talking and talking, there was only one way to solve the problem in the end.
The only way is to dedicate a few people at this moment to search for gold mines on Sedna. Before finding the gold mines, people first started to construct the rest of the No. 2 Comprehensive Base that did not require gold elements.
.
Otherwise, what else can we do? Is it possible to remanufacture the construction machinery that has already been built and refine the gold again?
Not to mention whether we have this refining capability, but without those machines, what will happen to the production in the industrial zone? The industrial zone cannot maintain production, and the No. 2 comprehensive base cannot be built either.
This plan is people's only choice no matter where you look at it. But a very important problem is that if people build the No. 2 Comprehensive Base and other places that do not need gold elements, how can gold mines not be found?
What should I do? What should I do if I still can’t find the gold mine?
In that case, not only would the No. 2 Comprehensive Base not be built, but the subsequent No. 3 planting base, the light industrial factory in the industrial zone, and even all future buildings would not be able to be built.
This possibility makes everyone's heart heavy.
"Don't worry too much about this problem."
Zhao Changxing spoke in a very determined tone, trying to calm people's worries as much as possible: "From a probability perspective, such a large planet will have almost all elements that can exist for a long time, but the reserves will be more or less.
That’s all. If we search carefully, we will definitely find it.”
People echoed a few times, and the meeting ended.
But there was one sentence that no one said.
From a probability perspective, the probability that a planet as big as Sedna does not have gold mines on it is indeed extremely low. But the key question is...where on the planet are they located?
Surface? Or 100 meters, one thousand meters, even one hundred kilometers underground, or even the core?
You know, humans don't have much ability to dig down at the moment. Besides, if the gold mines are buried too deep, it's impossible for people to discover them.