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Walking through Youngstown, one cannot help but notice the sprawling steel mills that define its landscape. Stretching over 25 miles along the Mahoning River, these mills are the backbone of the local economy, operating around the clock. Thousands of workers, approximately 15,000 per shift, take pride in their roles, contributing to the creation of steel that will be used in everything from military vehicles to civilian infrastructure.
The process begins with the arrival of raw materials—iron ore, coal, and limestone—transported by freight trains, ready to be transformed. This seemingly mundane collection of dirt holds immense potential, destined to be molded into critical components of modern society.