The fundamental model we teach MBAs for thinking about manufacturing is the value chain, a simple model that describes the value adding steps that take a low value material like iron ore and turn it into a high value product like a Ferrari Testarossa.
On the West coast, Perth lies at the center of its vast natural gas and iron ore fields that are supplying China with much of the raw material for its factories.
One recent study of more than 450 Sun-like stars within about 325 light-years of Earth indicated most had high iron content in their photospheres, or on their surfaces - again, evidence the stars had gorged themselves on planetary material.