Chapter 1296 Mining

Compared to iron ore, coal mines save the smelting process and have higher mining efficiency.

And there are two open-pit coal mines in Yizhou, which are also easy to mine.

Therefore, Yizhou's coal can not only meet the needs of local gentry, but also be sold to Bai Feng.

Now Yizhou's steam looms, according to Bai Feng's calculation based on the number of steam engines sold to Yizhou, should be at least about 150.

Just a small open-pit coal mine is enough to meet the demand for coal.

However, Xiahou Dun and the gentry of Yizhou found that coal is not only used as fuel for steam looms, but also as daily fuel.

At least it can greatly reduce the use of wood, and there is no need for such a large firewood room.

Therefore, Bai Feng is also very satisfied with the mining and use of coal in Yizhou, and Hanzhong's coal is not so urgent to mine.

At this stage, the main thing is to increase the steel production in Hanzhong as soon as possible.

Ensure the production of steam engines in the R&D center, and the amount of steel required for subsequent railway construction is sufficient.

After returning to the city from the mine, Bai Feng did not go back to the mansion directly.

He went to a site not far from the mine.

Here are the craftsmen who built the blast furnace that Bai Feng brought back from Yamatai.

Bai Feng came to see their construction progress.

The manufacture of blast furnaces is not very complicated. The craftsmen who came to Hanzhong to help Bai Feng build blast furnaces have now completed the construction of two blast furnaces.

According to Bai Feng's plan, twelve blast furnaces will eventually be built here.

This is also to have a fast enough smelting efficiency after using nitroglycerin/explosives to mine ore.

If the mine is now fully relying on manpower to mine iron ore, building four blast furnaces will be enough.

"The construction progress of the blast furnace is good. After starting to smelt iron ore, there is no need to buy iron ore from Xiahou Dun in Yizhou. The price he gave is indeed a bit high."

Looking at the blast furnace under construction, Bai Feng thought silently in his heart.

However, according to Bai Feng's plan, there is no problem in building a railway in Hanzhong.

However, if the railway is to be built to various states and counties of Dawei, the difficulties and resistance that will be faced will be great.

The difficulties are mainly the output of steel and the technology of building railways.

Laying rails on the road is not the same as building a railway.

There is also the problem of complex terrain.

Bai Feng can only build railways in relatively flat areas.

Another half a month has passed.

The improvement of the steam locomotive in the R&D center has been almost completed.

Geng Zhuzi and his team are about to test the next steam locomotive.

When Bai Feng went to check the progress, he mentioned to Geng Zhuzi that steam locomotives would be used in the mine to transport ore and iron ingots.

"Great!"

Geng Zhuzi said happily after hearing Bai Feng's arrangement.

When renovating the steam locomotive, Geng Zhuzi regretted that the railway in Hanzhong had not been built.

Now that we can finally see the steam locomotive start to play a role soon, as a steam locomotive manufacturer, Geng Zhuzi is naturally very happy.

Li Tiedan, Wang Gang, Xu Dali and other craftsmen who participated in the manufacture of steam locomotives are also very happy.

In the process of improving the steam locomotive in the future, there is more motivation to work.

After Bai Feng finished explaining to Geng Zhuzi and the others, the first batch of nitroglycerin/oil explosives in the nitroglycerin/oil explosives manufacturing workshop also entered the experimental stage.

That day, Wei Boyang, Zhang Daoyi, Fang Yuan, Zhen Cheng and other alchemists brought the manufactured nitroglycerin/oil explosives to the foot of the mountain outside the workshop.

They were going to conduct the first experiment of nitroglycerin/oil explosives here.

Bai Feng and Cao Jie also came to the foot of the mountain to watch the nitroglycerin/oil explosives experiment together.

"Are you all ready?"

Wei Boyang asked Zhang Daoyi and Fang Yuan and others.

"Ready!"

The two answered Wei Boyang one after another.

Now the nitroglycerin/oil explosives have been buried in the cave that has been dug.

Then everyone came to a place two miles away from the blasting site.

Only a guard who ran very fast was left to ignite the explosives.

After the guard finished igniting, he ran towards Bai Feng and others.

When the guard ran to Bai Feng and others, the fuse had burned to the end.

"Boom!"

Bai Feng and others first felt a vibration under their feet, and then heard a muffled sound.

Then, at the foot of the mountain where nitroglycerin/oil explosives were buried, a puff of smoke rose and a lot of broken stones flew out.

"This is quite powerful!"

Bai Feng also saw the explosion of nitroglycerin/oil explosives for the first time, and couldn't help but sigh.

Cao Jie beside him had already turned pale.

Wei Boyang and Zhang Daoyi, as well as alchemists such as Fang Yuan and Zhen Cheng, were also shocked by the power of the explosion of nitroglycerin/oil explosives.

"Did we really make this?"

"The power is too strong!"

"It's like the mountain god is angry and the earth dragon is turning over!"

At this time, they all thought in shock.

The power of nitroglycerin/oil explosives gave Bai Feng and Wei Boyang, who witnessed it for the first time, a new understanding of explosives.

After the smoke and dust from the explosion dissipated, Bai Feng and others came to the site of the explosion to check.

The place where nitroglycerin/dynamite was buried before has turned into a large pit half a man's height, about the size of a house.

"This is too powerful!"

After Bai Feng saw this big pit, he couldn't help but cried out.

In order to ensure that the nitroglycerin/dynamite could explode the rocks, this time Wei Boyang and the others used all the nitroglycerin/dynamite they had already produced.

A dozen blasting points alone were dug, and more than ten kilograms of nitroglycerin/dynamite were used.

"Such a big pit!"

Cao Jie was also very surprised after seeing the results of the nitroglycerin/dynamite explosion.

Wei Boyang and Zhen Cheng, as well as the alchemists such as Zhang Daoyi and Fang Yuan, were also shocked by the large pit after the explosion of nitroglycerin/dynamite.

This is a more direct impact than the vibration and sound produced during the explosion just now!

Then Bai Feng jumped into the large pit after the explosion and began to observe the results of the blasting of rocks by nitroglycerin/dynamite.

Wei Boyang and others also came to the big pit.

"Well, the power is enough, but it will blow these rocks into pieces too much."

After observing for a moment, Bai Feng said to Wei Boyang and others.

"We still need to make improvements and experiments next. With such a huge power, how to ensure safe detonation and avoid explosion during storage and transportation are also very important!"