Hurricane Helene Disrupts Access to the World’s most Critical Quartz Mine

Explore the Ripple Effects of Quartz Supply Disruptions on the Global Semiconductor Industry

Hurricane Helene has severely disrupted access to key quartz mines in North Carolina, causing damage to highways, homes, and power infrastructure around Asheville. This region is home to the Spruce Pine quartz mine, the world’s highest-purity source of High Purity Quartz (HPQ), a crucial material for semiconductor manufacturing. The quartz from this mine is used to produce silicon ingots and other essential components for the global chip industry.

While there are alternative quartz sources in Africa, Brazil, and Russia, none match the purity and capacity of Spruce Pine’s output. Despite the availability of synthetic quartz, it has not yet reached the necessary scale to replace natural HPQ from this region.

The semiconductor industry has been focused on strengthening its supply chains, maintaining safety stock for critical materials like HPQ. However, any extended disruption to the Spruce Pine mine could lead to short-term price hikes and sourcing challenges due to its unique status as a single-source supplier.