The film tells the history of the Ungava iron ore used in steel production. Soon after the discovery of a large amount of Ungava ore by an Indian chief in Northern Canada, two mining companies and five steel companies join together to investigate the area. Using drilling samples of the Precambrian land, geologists and engineers confirm the locations of the rich ore and map the area with aerial photography. The only nearby town, a small and isolated French and Indian village named Seven Islands, is suddenly transformed into a bustling town by the mining endeavor. After men and supplies are flown into the area, roads, bridges, dams and railroad tracks are constructed to support the needs of the burgeoning steel industry and the several hundred workers employed in the region. The ore is cleaned, packaged and then shipped by train to various mills.