The Angang Iron and Steel Company has defined Anshan since the 1910s, when Japanese engineers first developed steel production here on the abundant local iron ore deposits. The massive industrial complex — blast furnaces, rolling mills, cooling towers — dominates the skyline of the Tiexi District and represents one of the most significant industrial sites in Chinese history.
The works are still operational and not open to casual visitors, but the sheer scale of the facility is visible from the surrounding urban area and explains the physical character of the city more than anything else. For visitors interested in the industrial geography of northeast China, Anshan is the place where that story is most physically present. The local museum at Anshan Normal University has exhibits on the steel industry's history. The Tiexi and Tiedong Districts — literally Iron West and Iron East — were named for their relationship to the works.