Hurricane Helene Halts Key Chip Mining in North Carolina

Mining companies in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, have suspended their operations following the impact of Hurricane Helene. The region is known for producing high-purity quartz, a vital element in chip manufacturing, and it is the only location where this specific type of quartz can be found.

The local mining operations, conducted by Sibelco and The Quartz Corp, have been affected by flooding, power outages, and employee displacement, prompting the companies to halt activities. Sibelco released a statement on its website confirming the temporary suspension of operations at the Spruce Pine facilities as of September 26th.

In the statement, Sibelco assured that they are collaborating with their local team to safely resume operations as soon as possible. They are also actively coordinating with local authorities and partners to manage the situation. The company emphasized that their primary concern is the health, safety, and well-being of their employees, alongside securing the Spruce Pine facility.

Quartz from Spruce Pine is unique for its purity, which is necessary for creating crucibles to melt polysilicon. This polysilicon is then used to produce silicon wafers, the essential component in semiconductors for various devices such as phones, laptops, and solar panels. A previous incident in 2008, where a fire in Spruce Pine halted mining activities, significantly impacted the chip industry.

The current halt in operations makes it premature to predict the exact consequences on the chip-making supply chain. However, past occurrences have demonstrated that even minor disruptions can significantly affect the industry.

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