**Devastating Hurricane Exposes Vulnerability in Global Tech Supply Chain**
A tiny town in North Carolina, Spruce Pine, has been ravaged by Hurricane Helene, leaving it without running water or electricity for over a week. The town’s mines, which produce the world’s purest form of quartz, are critical to the global semiconductor industry. The natural disaster has brought production to a grinding halt, threatening to cripple the $600 billion industry.
The quartz extracted from Spruce Pine is used to create crucibles, which hold silicon as it’s melted and transformed into wafers for semiconductor production. Two companies, Sibelco and The Quartz Corp., operate in the area, but both have been forced to suspend operations due to the storm.
The impact of this disruption cannot be overstated. Experts warn that if the mines remain closed for an extended period, it could have far-reaching consequences for the entire industry. The CEO of TECHCET, Lita Shon-Roy, notes that there is no alternative source for high-purity quartz, making Spruce Pine the sole supplier to the global semiconductor industry.
While there are some inventory stockpiles to cushion the delay, the industry’s recovery will depend on the swift restoration of infrastructure and mining operations. The longer it takes for Spruce Pine to recover, the more severe the disruption will be. As the world becomes increasingly reliant on technology, the vulnerability of global supply chains has been exposed once again.
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