While bleak news of an economic recession comes across the airwaves almost daily, U.S. Steel’s stock has nearly doubled in the past 12 months and the company set a sales record in the first quarter of 2008.
   At its Granite City plant, work is under way on a $570 million capital investment program that will add new coke ovens and a cogeneration plant. And, Alton Steel has gone to three shifts, boosted its workforce to 324 with plans to add more. What’s going on? The American steel industry is booming, and with it Southwestern

   Steady research and development, coupled with an ever-increasing demand for oil, is spurring companies such as ConocoPhillips (Wood River Refinery) to tap into once unreachable reserves in a remote area of Canada.
   Known as the oil sands or “tar sands” due to the heaviness of the crude contained within them, at least 174 billion barrels worth (10 percent) of this enormous oil reserve is now considered to be economically recoverable. Matt Fox,