During the final stages of the Hundred Year War, Loban discovered a meadow in the Earth Kingdom rich with natural resources. Due to political reasons, he, as a Fire Nation citizen, was unable to exploit the ground's wealth and had to wait until the end of the war before he was able to find an Earth Kingdom business partner, Lao Beifong, and could begin development on the land. The Earthen Fire Refinery attracted labor forces from all nations, such as Niyok and Nutha from the Southern Water Tribe, who worked the machinery on a production line concentrated in mineral extraction.