"Hello, Director Liu, I am Zhong Bai."

After Zhong Bai entered the door, the first feeling that Liu Yujiang was a very clean and straightforward young man.

"Sit. Xiao Ye came here to report to me today and said that you have any ideas and opinions on rare earth metallurgy technology and want to talk to me in person?" Liu Yujiang is worthy of being the director of the Technology Department. He spoke almost without any nonsense and went straight to the point: "Do your leaders in the hall know about this?"

"I didn't report it to them because it had nothing to do with Tianhe Provincial Department." Zhong Bai had already expected the other party's concern: "It is actually a related issue of high-quality materials for rare earth metallurgy. This issue is very important to our country. It is not only the Ministry of Industry, but also involves many, such as environmental protection, employment, export and foreign exchange entrepreneurship, and global related market occupation..."

"Wait a minute! What is this problem? Can it involve such a wide range of things?" Liu Yujiang is not the kind of leader who doesn't know anything. He has been the director of the Technical Department of the Ministry of Industry for a while, and he used to be a business person. When he heard that the other party was talking about such a big string, his first reaction was that this problem was probably not something I could solve alone: ​​"Can our department coordinate this kind of problem?"

Of course, Liu Yujiang is not the idea of ​​shirking responsibility, but because at the level of their director, the amount of information they can access is far more and deeper than that of grassroots comrades, and the angles and starting points of looking at problems are very different. In general, there is more macro level and less micro level.

As soon as Zhong Bai said it just now, Liu Yujiang knew that this was an extremely complicated issue, so it is necessary to first clarify what the other party’s purpose was.

Zhong Bai did not explain directly. When communicating with such a business-aware leader, sometimes using language is an option to waste time.

He looked at the pen holder and letter sign paper on the desk and asked, "Director Liu, can I use some paper and pen?"

"Yes, do you want..." Liu Yujiang signaled Zhong Bai to take it himself, but the confusion in his mouth became even stronger.

"I'll give you a schematic of the process first."

I saw Zhong Bai pick up the pen and quickly start writing a simple process on the blank letter sign.

Rare earth concentrate - acid production line - low-temperature sulfuric acid roasting and decomposition process - extracting rare earths - rare earth chloride - neodymium oxide - metal neodymium - neodymium iron boron permanent magnet.

"I was seconded to the high-level rare earth project research group chaired by Academician Xu Guangxian at the end of November. I have been carrying out related projects. We have done this at present..."

Zhong Bai used a pen to draw a circle on the "neodymium oxide" link and said: "It's this step. It is our ultimate goal to make metal neodymium and then make advanced rare earth material neodymium iron boron permanent magnets."

"Well, continue?" Liu Yujiang obviously felt very comfortable with this reporting mode and nodded to indicate.

"Our research team has proposed a clear plan for the next two steps of specific technology, and it is extremely feasible." Zhong Bai did not say too much to avoid arousing the other party's suspicion. Although he knew that his theory would definitely be 100% successful and is definitely the most advanced technology in the world: "But at present, large RB companies are currently in the final step, that is, mass-producing neodymium iron boron permanent magnets have entered mass production experiments. Their main raw materials come from rare earth concentrates in the Baiyun Obo mine area of ​​my country. If no restrictions are imposed, large RB companies will complete mass production experiments in a very short time, master mass production technology, and then register a large number of international patents to form a technical monopoly in this field and build technical barriers."

"Once they succeed, then my country's rare earth industry chain will be in the early stage of the upstream for a long time and cannot overcome these barriers to produce advanced rare earth material neodymium iron boron permanent magnets. Even if related domestic companies have production capacity, they will become their foundry factories. The direct benefits lost may be calculated in billions of dollars!"

"In addition, I can also give you a general introduction to the use of neodymium iron boron permanent magnets. Simply put, any electronic product, high-end mechanical products and new high-tech products will be used, from mechanical watches to aviation and missiles. Because it is the most magnetic and stable material, its future is immeasurable. This is an important tool for my country to challenge the high-tech field of Western powers. Once we do not seize the initiative, it will be not only our generation, but also the next generation!"

Zhong Bai said this very strongly and his tone was very serious.

These words are by no means alarmist, but originated from a rare earth memoir more than 30 years later. The person who wrote this memoir was also a veteran in the domestic rare earth industry. Whenever he mentioned this history in teaching, he felt heartbroken.

Zhong Bai dared not say that Liu Yujiang would definitely believe in him, but at least he had to say this and clearly tell the other party the real and critical situation facing this matter. As for how to make a judgment, it was Director Liu's own business.

Liu Yujiang did not speak, but stared at the words "NdFeB permanent magnet" circled by Zhong Bai in circles, and fell into thinking.

Although this was his first meeting with Zhong Bai, the KCO special nitrogen-containing fertilizer made Zhong Bai famous in the entire Ministry of Industry. At that time, he heard that he was still a young comrade from the Technology Department, and Liu Yujiang was really happy for this young man. After all, it was our line.

KCO special nitrogen-containing fertilizer even attracted the attention of the military. Liu Yujiang also had a friend in the Logistics Department. Heard that this incident was once held at the half-year summary meeting of their entire army. As a typical example, of course, the angle of speech at their meeting was mainly about military-civilian cooperation rather than specific technology, but this is enough to show that Zhong Bai, the initiator of this technology, does have real skills and long-term vision.

Now, facing Zhong Bai's sudden outbreak of this topic similar to a bombshell, Liu Yujiang's first feeling is naturally unreal.

Because rare earth metallurgy technology is very, very unpopular in the entire industrial technology field, and according to the knowledge mastered by Liu Yujiang, this area is still a sub-field of metal smelting. Before the end of last year, there was not even a special topic. The only emerging topic was naturally the one that Academician Xu had done, but it was not very big. It was just that the Ministry of Industry seconded three comrades at the grassroots level.

Now, just such a small project that is still half-covered and unknown, you suddenly tell me that it may involve billions of dollars in the next thirty years, or even affect two generations?

This... no matter how brave you are, you don’t dare to believe it at once!

Liu Yujiang, based on the starting point of caring for talents, thought about it and then said tactfully: "Xiao Zhong, it's not that I don't believe you, but this topic is really too scary. Even if I report to the leaders of the department, there is not enough data and investigation report to support it! We Chinese industrialists have always been based on facts. Now, just based on your words, it is difficult for me to find a suitable starting point to promote it."
Chapter completed!