pjbooks Chapter 69: The Second Washing Begins
Chapter 69: The Second Washing Begins
Before night fell, Jason said goodbye to Bourne and drove back to the mine in the afterglow of the setting sun.
Ellie ate until her belly was round and full, and she kept burping as the journey was bumpy.
Ellie squinted, looking like she'd just finished eating, and said, "Jason, you have to take me with you next time you go out, hiccup~"
She had initially thought Jason was out there to run errands and do some work, but she hadn't expected Jason to be living such a good life. Now that she had this experience, she was no longer willing to stay in the mine and be watched by Lillian.
"Okay, I'll take you next time we go to the city," Jason said helplessly, shaking his head. Looking at Ellie, who was still thinking about the next time while burping, he really didn't know what to say.
Lillian frowned instantly as she looked at Ellie, whose belly was bulging and who was burping contentedly. "Jason, you took Ellie to the city again?!"
Faced with Lillian's imposing aura, Ellie hid behind Jason, covering her mouth and trying to suppress her hiccups.
Jason smiled apologetically and explained, "Mom, it's like this, today I..."
After explaining, Lillian's expression softened considerably, but she still pulled Ellie out from behind Jason and said sternly, "Ellie, if you keep eating like this, no one will like you anymore. From now on, you're forbidden from eating so much."
Ellie glanced up at Jason, her eyes pleading for help.
Jason shrugged, turned and walked away, demonstrating his helplessness.
As night fell, the roar of the machines in the entire mine ceased, and people sat in twos and threes eating and chatting.
This is also the most relaxing time of the day.
Swell sat down next to Jason with his tray, eating as he said, "Jason, the soil piled up at the mine is almost finished. Shall we start the washing work tomorrow?"
Jason nodded: "Okay, you can arrange it. If I'm free tomorrow, I'll stay at the mine."
Swail almost choked on Jason's words. So, he's not going to stay at the mine when something happens?!
Having worked in the gold mining industry for so many years, this was the first time he had ever seen Jason delegate so much authority. He really didn't know if Jason was bold or naive.
"Uh, okay, then I'll arrange the washing work tomorrow." After replying, Swail carried the tray and moved far away from Jason.
Jason was a little confused.
"Jason, have a beer!" Brent said, tossing Jason a bottle of ice-cold beer.
As the one who sets the mood, Brent never lets the atmosphere be dull; with his coordination, the entire camp is filled with laughter.
The atmosphere was lively, and much of the day's fatigue was dispelled.
Even the newly joined Xing Ronghua and Li Guoming were enveloped in the enthusiastic atmosphere, and their faces showed more smiles.
The construction workers were also "forced" to join in, and the house was filled with laughter and joy.
The next morning, everyone got up early.
After breakfast, under Swail's coordination, everyone had a clear division of labor and took their places!
"Little Hart, keep an eye on the mining machine. If you notice anything wrong, shut it down immediately," Swell instructed, paying particular attention to Little Hart.
First, the mining farm only has one smelting machine, so it would be troublesome if it broke down. Second, Little Hart is a novice, so giving him some pointers is necessary.
With a command given, the roar of the ore washing machines instantly filled the mining site.
Excavators dig up soil, which is then transported by trucks and dumped next to the ore washing machine. The excavators then deliver the soil to the feed inlet.
The vibrating screen uses high-frequency vibration to separate pebbles of various sizes. After being washed by a high-pressure water gun, the pebbles are transported to the waste area by a conveyor belt.
The most nervous person at this moment was undoubtedly Little Hart, who was standing next to the mining machine.
Although this was the second time, and the washing process had been initiated before, Little Hart's heart still raced every time he turned on the machine.
The biggest concern is the possibility of malfunctions.
What you fear most is exactly what happens!
"Stop! Stop! Ada, stop!" Little Hart pressed the stop button and used the walkie-talkie to stop Ada, who was feeding the food.
The noisy mine instantly quieted down.
Swail also came over, and upon seeing the situation, he scratched his head.
A large rock got stuck in the feed inlet, and its sharp edges cut a large gash in the conveyor belt.
Although it was stopped in time, it can only be washed again after it has been repaired.
Jason also came to the mining machine, but didn't say anything, letting Little Hart and Swail direct him.
Secure the stone with a cable, with the other end fixed to the excavator. Under the action of the machine, the stone is pulled out.
Taking a new belt from the warehouse and replacing it took no more than fifteen minutes!
With the power button pressed, the device started running again.
There's no need to complain; this is normal. In particular, Swil even came to Ada's side to comfort her for a while.
Seeing that it was functioning normally, Jason also left.
Swail stood next to Little Hart, observing the mining machine for a full twenty minutes before leaving without finding any problems.
"Albert, speed up! You're too slow!"
"Ada, you're too slow! Forget about the rocks, just throw that damn dirt into the feed chute right now!"
"Damn it, Brent, focus!"
With a walkie-talkie in hand, Swell constantly coordinated everyone in the mine, making the mine function like a high-speed machine, rapidly breaking in and running smoothly.
Of the four new additions, Raul and Augie were used to Swail's style, but Kevin and Cage felt immense pressure.
Swell had no choice but to give instructions to each of the many newbies.
He had spoken with Jason, and they said that working two or three shifts was the best option for many mines, but there were not enough people right now, and none of them were very skilled. So they could only choose to work during the day and wait until they were more skilled and had enough people before thinking about the future.
The harvest of gold is closely related to everyone, especially those who receive a share of the gold harvest, who are even more eager to make a profit!
The machines roared, and the sound of the vibrating screen colliding with the pebbles echoed continuously.
After inspecting the completed house and paying the final payment, Jason also came to the mining machine.
Currently, the mine's revenue is far from breaking even. If Jason hadn't been lucky enough to encounter that Yuan blue-and-white porcelain piece, he would have been in a panic long ago.
The reserves in a mine are just reserves; if they're not mined, it's all for nothing!
Hiring people and buying machines are all for the purpose of legally avoiding taxes, but the mining farm is the fundamental issue.
Standing next to the ore washing machine, the detection capability was activated, and the data instantly came into view.
Detection range: 15 meters (upgradeable: 1 meter for every 100 ounces)
[Detection depth: 23 meters (upgradeable to 100 ounces, or 1 meter higher)]
[Estimated weight: 37.7 ounces]
[Upgradeable gold ounces: 281.05 ounces]
[Note: Gold does not absorb energy; it is only used for upgrading purposes, and its value remains unaffected.]
[Note: Only gold discovered through exploration using one's own methods is of useful value.]
In less than an hour, the mining machine had already stored more than 30 ounces of gold, which made Jason very satisfied.
"Jason, don't worry, this harvest will definitely be higher than last time," Little Hart comforted Jason, thinking he was worried about the harvest.
Jason punched little Hart in the chest and laughed, "I'm not worried about that, it's you who's under a lot of pressure, isn't it?"
Little Hart shrugged, a wry smile playing on his lips. He was the only one in the entire mine overseeing the washing machines and water pumps; how could the pressure not be immense?
Despite the pressure, Little Hart assured him, "Don't worry, it'll be absolutely worth the salary you pay me!"
"Don't worry, we can rest once everyone arrives."
"Then we'll wait for your good news."
Jason, adhering to the principle of not giving orders he didn't understand, didn't bother the group any further.
The morning passed quickly, and when the sun was high in the sky, everyone paused their work under Swail's direction.
This level of workload is more than enough for veterans like Raul and Augie, but it's unbearable for others.
Albert, rubbing his lower back and wiping the sweat from his face, came over to Swail's side and exclaimed, "My God, Swail, didn't we go by too fast this morning?"
"No, this is the normal rhythm. You just haven't gotten used to it yet." If he didn't know that Albert was the boss's father, given Swell's usual temper, he wouldn't have bothered to explain.
Brent's mouth was practically steaming as he kept urinating, his breath taut and he dared not stop for a moment, afraid that he would stop right there. So he kept holding back.
Ada, who had been feeding material into the feed inlet, was similar; the first thing she did after stopping was to gulp down a bottle of water.
Raul took a sip of his water and joked, "Looks like I still need to practice."
"It's already pretty good. You know, when we first started out, we weren't even as good as them," Auggie said, touching the braid on his chin and giving Raul a disgruntled look.
Inside the restaurant, the cool air from the air conditioner dispelled the heat from everyone's bodies.
Jason clapped, drawing everyone's attention.
"Everyone, you've all worked hard this morning. You can take a short break at noon."
"After this cleanup, I've decided to give you all two days off so you can relax."
Jason paid him a good salary, but the work was always intense and mentally strained. Everyone's inner turmoil was impossible to control, something Jason, who had been a working-class person in his previous life, knew all too well.
As the saying goes, sharpening your axe won't delay your woodcutting!
"Jason! I love you!" Brent was fully revived and immediately jumped up from the stool.
Andy also smiled and let out a heavy sigh of relief.
As the two who had always been with Jason, they were under a lot of pressure, especially after Swail and Augie joined them, which increased the pressure even more.
Especially Brent, despite his carefree attitude, he's actually quite thoughtful.
Faced with Jason's great job, he didn't want to be eliminated because he couldn't keep up, so he would go over the operational procedures in his mind every day during his rest time.
Now that I have a chance to relax, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief.
The atmosphere in the restaurant instantly rose after Jason announced the news.
Of course, the security team couldn't rest, and Jason told Dolino and the other two about this, and they understood.
Due to the different nature of their work, they have become accustomed to this work mode after a long period of security work.
After lunch, perhaps because Jason announced a holiday after the break, no one rested and they immediately threw themselves into their work, even increasing their speed considerably.