Resilinc Special Report

Supply Chain Risk Management: Hurricane Helene’s Impact on High Purity Quartz

This supply chain risk management report provides an in-depth analysis of the impact of Hurricane Helene on the supply of High Purity Quartz (HPQ), a critical raw material used in the semiconductor, solar energy, and electronics industries. The hurricane led to the temporary shutdown of HPQ mining operations in Spruce Pine, North Carolina—the world’s largest source of HPQ. This closure poses a significant threat to the global supply chain, given the high dependence on this location for ultra-pure quartz.
Read Resilinc’s Special Report for proactive supply chain risk management steps businesses can take to mitigate these disruptions and minimize the impact on industries dependent on HPQ.
Key Insights:
  • Spruce Pine provides around 80-90% of the world’s HPQ, which is needed for computing devices and various technology products
  • HPQ drives a $500Bn microchip industry that is core to the $3Tr global tech sector
  • Reduced future availability of HPQ may lead to higher prices for HPQ, raising the overall costs of semiconductor manufacturing