Hurricane Helene Strikes Key Chip Mining Region in North Carolina

Hurricane Helene recently caused significant rainfall and flooding in western North Carolina, resulting in numerous fatalities and extensive damage across the state’s mountain towns. Among the affected areas is Spruce Pine, a small town renowned for having the purest quartz on Earth.

The high-quality quartz found in Spruce Pine is crucial for chip manufacturing, being the only naturally occurring source of the ultrapure mineral. This quartz is used as a crucible to melt polysilicon, which is essential for producing silicon wafers, the foundation of semiconductors.

Due to ongoing communication challenges in the region, it has been difficult to determine the impact on the two mining companies operating in Spruce Pine, Sibelco and The Quartz Corp. In a statement to The Verge, The Quartz Corp spokesperson, May Kristin Haugen, stated, “We are in a phase of assessing the situation, and it is far too early to comment on the impact on high purity quartz production. Our priority now is people and the families being affected by this terrible storm.” Sibelco has not yet provided a statement.

According to Wired, a fire in Spruce Pine in 2008 “all but shut off the supply of high-purity quartz to the world market, sending shivers through the industry.” If the current situation has caused damage to the mines, the effects could be even more significant due to the world’s increased dependence on chips for devices such as phones, processors, and solar panels.

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