Essential North Carolina Quartz Mines Shut Down Following Hurricane Helene Devastation
by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – Quartz mines that are vital to North Carolina’s semiconductor industry have been closed indefinitely since Hurricane Helene tore into the region wreaking death and devastation over the weekend, the Washington Examiner reports.
Located in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, the mines contain some of the world’s purest, highest quality quartz needed to produce semiconductor wafers for chips installed in phones, laptops, solar panels, and satellite systems, the Examiner said.
“The hurricane has caused widespread flooding, power outages, communication disruptions, and damage to critical infrastructure in the area,” Belgian mineral company Sibelco, which owns the largest mine found in the area, told The News and Observer on Monday. “Many people in the area, including our employees and their families, are facing displacement and significant disruptions.”
In a separate statement, the Quartz Corp, which also owns a mine in Spruce Pine, announced: “Operations at our facilities were stopped on September 26th in preparation of the event and we have no visibility on when they will restart. This is second order of priority. Our top priority remains the health and safety of our employees and their families.”
The Examiner noted: “Given the rare quality of the quartz found in Spruce Pine, damage to the mines could harm the semiconductor industry.”
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