Congressman Greg Murphy, RN.C. details the devastation caused by Hurricane Helen and the storm's impact on the upcoming presidential election.
Authorities continue to evaluate Damage caused by Hurricane Helen It's occurring in the southeastern United States and could have a major impact on the tech industry if it hits one of the small towns in North Carolina.
spruce spine, north carolinais one of the few places in the world where high-purity quartz can be mined, a critical component needed to make microchips, solar panels, and fiber optic cables. However, the destruction caused by the hurricane forced the closure of mining operations in the town, with no prospect of restarting.
High purity quartz is a key component for manufacturing microchips. Spruce Pine, North Carolina, one of the few sources of pure quartz, was severely damaged by Hurricane Helen, forcing the quartz mine to close. ((Photo Credit: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images) / Getty Images)
The Quartz Corp. and Sybelco are major quartz suppliers that mine in Spruce Pine, but both ceased operations before Helen made landfall in the area. It is currently unknown when it will reopen.
The town of about 2,000 people was destroyed by the storm. 1 local resident told Reuters In the aftermath, “the spruce pine was gone, only the roof sticking out of the water.”
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NPR reported Even if the mine were intact, it may be difficult to transport crystals from this area. Images show that the main rail line used to transport quartz from Spruce Spine is severely damaged.
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Belgium-based Sibelco said in a statement: “We are working closely with our local teams to ensure we can resume operations as quickly and safely as possible and are actively working with local authorities and other partners to manage the situation. '' said in a statement.
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“We were able to conduct an initial visual inspection of our factory and the damage was primarily concentrated around the auxiliary equipment,” Quartz spokeswoman Mae Christine Haugen said in a statement to FOX Business. Yes, it's still too early.” Assess when your TQC will resume operations, as this will also depend on the rebuilding of local infrastructure. ”
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Still, Haugen said TQC is confident it can avoid interruptions in the supply of high-purity crystals to its customers.
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“We operate a long supply chain and, like many organizations, we have put increased emphasis on our post-COVID-19 resilience plans. “We have established a high level of feedstock,” Haugen added. “Coupled with the safety stocks of finished goods and the safety stocks that exist at various levels throughout the supply chain, we do not foresee any crisis in the downstream industry in the short or medium term.”
