Chapter 58 Uranium Ore Discovery

A few days later, a big pit was dug out. According to the engineers' plan, there were residential areas, laboratories, industrial areas, power plants, etc. After pouring the cement walls and covering them with radiation-proof glass, a small base has taken shape.

While the Mars base was being built smoothly, the people on the Noah were not idle. They kept hanging heavy objects on the outside of the spacecraft, which increased the weight of the spacecraft and the flight altitude of the Noah was also lowered little by little...

Now, the most important thing is the geological exploration team. If a good mining area and terrain are discovered, the Noah can land completely...

On the desolate and silent surface of Mars, there are mountains, plains and canyons. The terrain in the northern hemisphere of Mars is relatively flat, and a bus-sized Mars rover can be driven smoothly.

The scenery on Mars is much more spectacular than that on Earth. At a glance, it is a vast expanse of desert and ice fields. Everywhere you look, there are polar caps composed of dry ice and water ice, which together with the red rocks form a unique geological landscape.

From time to time, there was a strong wind blowing in the sky, and the wind speed was very fast, but because of the air pressure, the force was not strong, and only some dust was rolled up. Even the sky was infected by this orange-red color, and it was red.

However, no matter how spectacular the scenery was, after a few days, I lost interest. After three days, even the reporter was too lazy to talk, turned off the camera, and rested on the Mars rover.

In three days, they walked almost 150 kilometers and were exhausted.

Such an investigation is not just about driving all the way there, but also digging rocks, examining various specimens, and doing geological mapping, etc., which consumes a lot of energy.

This reporter is Zhao Chao’s girlfriend, Victoria. She and Zhao Chao were very lucky to be selected by the government at the same time. Even more fortunately, they were assigned to the same group.

However, this trip to Mars was so tiring that it was not romantic at all. But they had no complaints. Scientific investigations are boring and tiring. They were mentally prepared to come to Mars.

Because there were no special discoveries, Victoria seemed to have no interest. Seeing the same scenery every day, it was so lifeless that it would be strange to have any interest.

There were about 20 people in this group, including scientists, journalists, doctors, soldiers and mechanical repairmen. They were well-trained in various professions and had received professional training before coming.

"Time is up, let's take a break!" The speaker was a female scientist in her thirties named Clark, who was also the leader of this group.

The group of 20 people got on the car in batches, disinfected it with disinfectant, took off their space helmets, and enjoyed food and water.

The entire Mars rover was the size of a bus, and it was still a bit crowded for 20 people.

Zhao Chao, a geologist and mechanical engineer, was responsible for the supervision of the entire Mars rover.

He first checked the power system and energy system, and there was no big problem. Then he checked the power of the car and reported: "Ms. Clark, our car still has about two-thirds of power, and the living supplies are still sufficient. To be on the safe side, we have to go another 50 kilometers and then return."

The Mars rover is their life. If the car is out of power, 20 people may not last long on Mars. Hearing this news, Clark frowned and nodded, "Okay, I understand."

"Everyone, our car can only go another 50 kilometers because of power. We must retain the power for the return trip. If there is no discovery, we can only go back..."

Alas... After hearing this, everyone was a little depressed and helpless.

"I hope we can have a good discovery in the last 50 kilometers!" The female scientist wanted to encourage everyone's morale, but found that she couldn't encourage it.

In fact... Along the way, it's not that there are no discoveries. They found a huge ice mine and an iron mine.

However, this discovery can only be said to be of general level. Mars itself is a planet rich in iron elements. Its red surface is due to a large amount of ferric oxide. So the discovery of an iron mine can't satisfy everyone at all.

"We have excavated rock specimens in 32 areas... The existence of bacteria cannot be seen from ordinary microscopes."

"Maybe Martian life does not need oxygen, maybe all anaerobic bacteria... Maybe we didn't find the right place, they only live in some specific places. It may not even be carbonyl life..." In the car, two biologists were discussing with each other.

"But I think the probability is low..."

No one knows whether there is life on Mars. Perhaps these tiny dust particles are non-carbonyl life? If non-carbonyl exists, such as silicon-based life or sulfur-based life, it may not need water or oxygen to survive on Mars.

People know very little about the universe. Who knows whether this possibility exists...

Humans use the creatures on Earth as samples to speculate on extraterrestrial life. All life on Earth is carbonyl, because the carbon element connects the amino group and the carboxyl group in the amino acids that constitute carbonyl life, so it is called carbonyl life.

However, humans have never discovered non-carbonyl life. Until the Ming Dynasty, people could only speculate in science fiction novels or movies that there may be many forms of life, such as silicon-based, sulfur-based, electromagnetic wave life, energy life, etc.

Of course, these are just human imaginations without basis. Scientists will not blindly believe these things. After checking so many places and finding nothing, they still believe that the probability of Mars having life is not high.

"Quick, look at the pointer, our radiation index has increased by 1 percentage point." Zhao Chao suddenly said, he keenly found that the instrument changed a little, and then stabilized.

"The atmosphere of Mars cannot completely block cosmic radiation. Maybe once the solar wind blows away the atmosphere a little, the cosmic radiation will increase..."

Female team leader Clark said halfway, and suddenly couldn't say it anymore. She saw a gray-black stone! In this background, a black stone is too conspicuous.

She walked forward a few more steps and saw more such stones. Her heart immediately beat wildly, "Quick, Zhao, check the composition of this stone!" She picked up the stone and handed it to Zhao Chao.

Zhao Chao immediately broke, ground, and dissolved it in the machine and conducted various chemical experiments.

"66% molybdenum, 8.3% silicon, 1.2% calcium, 0.2% lead, my God, this is a good-looking molybdenum ore! I also detected a small amount of uranium!" Zhao Chao shouted wildly in the Mars rover.

His girlfriend Victoria immediately became active when she heard it, picked up the camera and took a lot of photos of the ore, and said to the microphone: "I am reporter Victoria, guess what we found..."

"Clark, molybdenum is a co-existing ore of uranium ore! We may also find uranium ore! If there is, we will publish it!" Zhao Chao shouted loudly, he couldn't wait to put on his helmet and ran out of the car.

"Everyone, look for exposed uranium ore. We will look for it in groups of 4 and communicate with each other using walkie-talkies. Remember not to go too far!" The female team leader Clark immediately said.

"The soil-like uranium ore has no luster, while the block-like uranium ore has asphalt luster and is generally colorful... Everyone look for it separately, and if you are not sure, you can send me pictures!"

As the female scientist spoke, she was trembling with excitement. If she really found uranium ore, she would be so lucky!

Must find it!