The expansion of the Grand Electrification Plan (GEP) across four kingdoms, coupled with the rapid deployment of the telegraph network and the new electric trams, created a monstrous demand for copper wire.
The Eastern Mining States, now the Syndicate's primary supplier, had formed a cartel and were using their resource monopoly to raise prices by 40%, directly taxing the Syndicate's global expansion profits. This was an unacceptable system vulnerability—a dependence on external, politically motivated pricing.
"My Lord, the Copper Cost per Mile of Grid (CCMG) is making any new infrastructure project unprofitable," Hemlock reported, slamming a financial projection onto Alex's desk. "We must either halt the GEP expansion or surrender our profits to the Mining States. They are using feudal politics to defeat our free-market economics."
Alex refused both options. "We will not halt the expansion, and we will not pay the premium. We must eliminate the need for their resource entirely by finding a lighter, cheaper, and more abundant alternative. The metal we need is common in the earth, but requires excessive energy to refine."
The metal was Aluminum. Alex knew the key to unlocking this resource lay in the systematic application of his most stable energy source: electricity.
Aluminum oxide (Alumina) is extremely stable and requires immense heat and specialized chemical baths to separate the pure metal.
Alex focused on using the massive, reliable power generated by his Central Power Stations to drive the process—the invention of electrolysis.
He tasked Marcus (Engineering) and the newly formed Syndicate Chemical Research Division (SCRD) with designing the ultimate refining system.
* The Energy Source: The process required massive, continuous DC power. The steam-powered dynamos at the Central Power Station were adapted to output specialized, high-current DC power lines directly to the research facility.
* The Electrolytic Cell: They constructed a large, rectangular Bessemer-steel tank, lined with carbon—the electrolytic cell. This tank was filled with a molten bath of easily sourced minerals (cryolite and fluorite) which served as the electrolyte.
* The Process: Aluminum oxide, sourced from common clay, was dissolved into the electrolyte. Large carbon rods served as the anodes, while the carbon-lined tank served as the cathode. The massive DC current passed through the cell, breaking the chemical bond and causing pure, molten Aluminum to sink to the bottom of the tank.
The process was brutally expensive in terms of energy consumption, requiring more power than entire towns, but the raw material (clay) was virtually free and globally abundant, instantly bypassing the Copper Cartel's chokehold.
***
The first bars of pure Aluminum were stunning: light, strong, and highly conductive.
* Grid Overhaul: Aluminum was quickly substituted for copper in the massive electrical grid and telegraph network. Because Aluminum is significantly lighter than copper, the Syndicate was able to use thinner, cheaper support poles, drastically reducing the labor and material costs for grid construction. The weight saving alone made new, long-distance lines profitable overnight.
* Aviation Potential: Alex immediately logged the metal's light weight as a key asset for future applications, noting its potential for creating flying machines (a future R&D priority).
***
Due to the immense energy cost of production, Aluminum was initially more expensive than copper, making it a high-value novelty. Alex, understanding its strategic propaganda value, presented the King with a ceremonial Aluminum Crown—a light, brilliant piece that symbolized the modern age.
The King, delighted with the beautiful, non-tarnishing metal, immediately mandated its use for all high-status Royal tableware. This created massive civilian demand for the Syndicate's newest product and established aluminum as the "Metal of Prestige."
The moment the Aluminum-based grid was announced and the Syndicate publicly phased out new copper purchases, the Copper Cartel collapsed. Their copper mines, optimized for the Syndicate's massive demand, suddenly faced a 90% drop in orders.
The Mining States, now unable to sell their copper at any price, immediately filed formal complaints with the General Assembly, demanding Alex be forced to buy their copper.
Alex's response was simple and logical: "The Free Trade Protocol guarantees the free flow of goods and eliminates all tariffs. It does not guarantee the purchase of any specific resource. The market has dictated a superior alternative. Your mines are no longer economically viable."
The Mining States were forced to do what Alex intended all along: they dismantled their cartel, drastically lowered their copper prices, and began selling their resources again, albeit at a low, market-determined rate.
The Syndicate bought the now cheap copper for minor applications but secured the right to continue using Aluminum for all major infrastructure projects. Alex had successfully used innovation to neutralize geopolitical risk.
Next priority: The massive, steam-driven global system (Bessemer, Clippers, Power Stations) is producing enormous amounts of highly specific waste (soot, slag, chemical byproducts). The Syndicate is now facing a systemic environmental and logistical crisis regarding waste disposal and resource utilization. Alex must invent the concepts of Industrial Ecology and Waste Reprocessing.