Chapter 1015: This Project Is Inappropriate

Before Su Xinghui could raise any questions, Qi Jian raised one first. He asked, "County Magistrate, our Shangjun County has neither iron mines nor coal mines. Is it appropriate to set up a steel plant here?"

Tian Xiaopeng said, "This problem does not constitute a problem. Do Jiangcheng have iron mines and coal mines? Do Hujiang have iron mines and coal mines? Don't they all have a giant steel enterprise? Now the transportation in Pengjiawanzhen is becoming more and more convenient, and various raw materials can be transported here by water and land. Setting up a million-ton large-scale steel enterprise is not a problem."

Tong Yuejin said, "Yes, maybe in the future, this steel plant can develop into a giant steel enterprise as big as Jianggang."

Tian Xiaopeng nodded slightly. He was very satisfied with Tong Yuejin's performance. Although this person's flattery skills looked a bit unbearable, his speech could basically hit the point, and he was not a complete straw bag.

Qi Jian felt that he couldn't ask any more questions. He also felt in his heart that if such a large enterprise could be introduced, it would be a good thing for Pengjiawanzhen.

At this time, Su Xinghui spoke, "County Magistrate Tian, I want to ask a question. This entrepreneur wants to build such a steel plant, is he planning a long process or a short process? Is he planning to use a converter to make steel or an electric furnace to make steel?"

The questions Su Xinghui asked were quite professional. Simply put, the long process mainly uses iron ore as raw material to make steel, and the short process uses waste steel as raw material. If the long process is used, the pollution produced is of course more.

Converters and electric furnaces mainly use different energy sources. Converters mainly use coal in the process of melting raw materials, while electric furnaces are basically only used for short-process steelmaking, and the energy used is electricity.

From this aspect, short processes and electric furnaces have relatively less damage to the environment. However, at the current stage, using electric furnaces to make steel in China costs much more than converters. In fact, at present, the proportion of using electric furnaces to make steel in China has just exceeded 10%, and the proportion is getting lower and lower. More steel enterprises are using converters to make steel.

This is also one of the main reasons for the serious environmental pollution in China's steel industry.

Tian Xiaopeng looked at Su Xinghui with some surprise. He didn't expect Su Xinghui to be able to ask such professional questions. Wasn't Su Xinghui graduated from the Chinese Department? How could he also understand steelmaking? Even Tian Xiaopeng himself contacted some steel enterprise bosses at the Planning Commission and read the materials they declared for steel plant projects, so he was relatively familiar with the process flow of steelmaking.

Among those present, only Su Xinghui and Tian Xiaopeng understood the process flow of steelmaking. Others were like listening to heavenly books. This was not to blame them; they had never been in contact with the steelmaking industry.

Su Xinghui could ask this question also because he worked at the Statistics Bureau in his previous life. At that time, Zhaojiaqiao Town introduced a small steel enterprise, and Su Xinghui went there, so he was relatively familiar with some situations in the steel industry.

Tian Xiaopeng smiled, "Comrade Xinghui, the process flow that this entrepreneur is prepared to adopt is the long-process converter steelmaking method."

Su Xinghui thought to himself: Good, this is the process flow with the most serious pollution. If this steel plant was built in Pengjiawanzhen, could the environment of Pengjiawanzhen still be good?

Su Xinghui asked again, "County Magistrate Tian, then does this entrepreneur have his own mine? If not, where does he get iron ore from?"

Tian Xiaopeng said, "He doesn't have his own mine, but he has cooperative relations with several iron mines in China and can get iron ore from them."

Su Xinghui thought to himself: Domestic iron ore generally has a relatively low grade, between 20% and 30% on average, belonging to poor ore. Using such iron ore to make steel, on the one hand, the process is complex, the cost is high, and the emission of pollutants has increased again.

If imported ore is used, it will be better. The iron ore grade of several countries such as Australia and Brazil is relatively high, about 60%, and can be directly put into the furnace for steelmaking without beneficiation. However, this kind of private steel plant is also difficult to establish cooperative relations with foreign iron mines. Imported iron ore is basically monopolized by those giant state-owned steel enterprises.

Su Xinghui said, "Then does he have any investment plans for environmental protection?"

If the steel plant is willing to invest in environmental protection facilities, pollution emissions can still be significantly reduced. For example, the waste slag discharged can be used as raw materials for environmentally friendly building materials and reused, and wastewater can be harmless and recycled after being treated by environmental protection facilities, and the harm of waste gas is not great after being filtered by environmental protection facilities.

Of course, this investment is not ordinary. If it really achieves the effect of harmless treatment, it is not surprising that his steel plant with an investment of 300 million will increase investment in environmental protection facilities by tens of millions or even hundreds of millions, and the cost will also increase significantly. Not to mention anything else, those environmental protection facilities are all started, and electricity bills are a not small expense.

Tian Xiaopeng was stagnant. When his friend described his factory construction plan to him, he didn't mention this environmental protection facility at all. Tian Xiaopeng didn't think this was a big problem, but since Su Xinghui raised it now, Tian Xiaopeng naturally didn't dare to publicly say that this steel plant didn't need environmental protection facilities.

Tian Xiaopeng then said, "He should have investment plans for environmental protection, right?"

Su Xinghui asked, "Then how much is he prepared to invest in environmental protection?"

Su Xinghui's repeated questioning made Tian Xiaopeng a bit unable to hold on. I am a County Magistrate after all, and I am helping you pull investment. What do you mean by this town mayor asking repeatedly? Are you deliberately making me embarrassed?

Just when Tian Xiaopeng's face was about to pull down, he still held back. He had to create the image of a pro-people County Magistrate. He cherished his feathers very much and didn't want to show weaknesses that could be attacked by others.

After pondering for a moment, Tian Xiaopeng said, "In terms of environmental protection, he will invest at least one million yuan, right?"

"One million yuan?" Su Xinghui said, "If there is only such a small investment, County Magistrate Tian, please forgive me for being blunt, the pollution of his steel plant will definitely be very large. It should not be suitable to be set up in our Pengjiawanzhen, and it is not even suitable to be set up in any township in our Shangjun County."

Su Xinghui's words immediately caused an uproar among almost everyone present. This was an investment of 300 million yuan. Su Xinghui actually said he didn't want it, and he also said that this steel plant was not suitable to be set up anywhere in Shangjun County. This was not just a question of whether to want the investment or not, wasn't this slapping Tian Xiaopeng in the face in public?

Tian Xiaopeng could endure it again, but at this moment, he finally couldn't hold on. He sank his face and said, "Because it is just a possible pollution problem, you refuse such a huge investment. Town Mayor Su, are you a bit 'choking on food and giving up eating'? A steel plant with an annual output of 400,000 tons of steel has an annual output value of several hundred million. Do you know how much tax revenue and how many employment opportunities this can bring to Pengjiawanzhen?"

Su Xinghui said with a firm look, "County Magistrate Tian, I am the town mayor of Pengjiawanzhen now. I must be responsible for the common people of Pengjiawanzhen. I cannot ignore environmental pollution and the physical health of the common people for the sake of output value, tax revenue, and other things!"

Su Xinghui's words were polite. The other things he said were the political achievements and official hats of officials. Many officials, for the sake of their own political achievements, brazenly introduced large-scale polluting enterprises in their jurisdiction. The GDP went up, and their positions went up. However, after they were transferred, what was left was endless harm to the local common people.

Tian Xiaopeng narrowed his eyes and stared at Su Xinghui, "Town Mayor Su, do you mean that I want to introduce this steel plant for the sake of output value, tax revenue, and other things, ignoring environmental pollution and the physical health of the common people?"

Tian Xiaopeng's appearance of narrowing his eyes at this time was very similar to Tian Xiaotao's appearance of narrowing his eyes, just like a poisonous snake, choosing people to devour. Usually, he never showed this expression. Now he felt the huge danger Su Xinghui caused him, so he subconsciously made this expression.

Su Xinghui said, "I don't mean that. I know County Magistrate Tian is well-intentioned. However, objectively speaking, if this steel plant is introduced, it will cause relatively large environmental pollution, and it is even possible that the vegetables produced in Pengjiawanzhen will not be sold. Please think twice about the gains and losses in this."

Tian Xiaopeng's eyes opened again, which meant he had calmed down. He said leisurely, "Comrade Su Xinghui, you strongly oppose my introduction of such a large project, a project that is absolutely more beneficial than harmful to the development of Pengjiawanzhen. Is it entirely out of public interest? Is there any selfishness? You wouldn't be blaming me for stealing your thunder, would you?"

Tian Xiaopeng's words were completely "heart-piercing." The eyes of everyone present looking at Su Xinghui changed a bit. Yes, such a large political achievement, Su Xinghui pushed it out. Was he really blaming Tian Xiaopeng for stealing his thunder?

The electrical appliance factory project of the Hou Group introduced by Su Xinghui, with an investment of 10 million US dollars, was already the largest foreign investment project introduced in the history of Shangjun County and even Yulin City. However, as soon as the steel plant introduced by Tian Xiaopeng landed, the limelight immediately overwhelmed this electrical appliance factory. Was Su Xinghui jealous?

If that was the case, then Su Xinghui was "deserving of death"! This was not caring about the development of Pengjiawanzhen!

Tong Yuejin jumped out impatiently, "Town Mayor Su, this is your fault, right? The County Magistrate is completely well-intentioned, wanting to help us pull a big project. Why do you oppose it? It's just puffing some black smoke and discharging some black water. Which factory doesn't have it? Don't the enterprises you introduced in Menghu Ling also have pollution? Why can't you tolerate this steel plant?" ===== CHAPTER 1017 =====