[Rockhounds] A tiny town just got slammed by Helene. It could massively disrupt the tech industry

[Kreigh Tomaszewski]

A tiny town in North Carolina that’s just been devastated by hurricane
Helene could end up severely disrupting the global supply chain for
microchips and solar panels.

Nestled in the Appalachian mountains, the community of Spruce Pine,
population 2,194, is known for its hiking, local artists and as America’s
sole source of high-purity quartz. Helene dumped more than 2 feet of rain
on the town, destroying roads, shops and cutting power and water.

But its reach will likely be felt far beyond the small community.

Semiconductors are the brains of every computer-chip-enabled device, and
solar panels are a key part of the global push to combat climate change. To
make both semiconductors and solar panels, companies need crucibles and
other equipment that both can withstand extraordinarily high heat and be
kept absolutely clean. One material fits the bill: quartz. Pure quartz.

Quartz that comes, overwhelmingly, from Spruce Pine.

“As far as we know, there’s only a few places in the world that have
ultra-high-quality quartz,” according to Ed Conway, author of *Material
World: The Six Raw Materials That Shape Modern Civilization. *Russia and
Brazil also supply high-quality quartz, he says, but “Spruce Pine has far
and away the [largest amount] and highest quality.”

https://www.npr.org/2024/09/30/nx-s1-5133462/hurricane-helene-quartz-microchips-solar-panels-spruce-pine