American patients undergo an estimated 40 million MRI scans each year to help diagnose cancer, brain and spinal cord injuries, strokes, and heart conditions. 

The superconducting magnet-powered imaging machines provide doctors with clear, high-resolution images of areas inside the body that cannot be seen on X-rays and CT scans. However, MRI machines cannot maintain magnet cooling to generate these images without liquid helium, the Earth's coldest element. 

Three of five U.S. helium suppliers are rationing the element to prioritise life-or-death uses like MRI machines over less-essential uses like keeping party balloons afloat. 

The cost of helium has already increased by more than 400% in five years. 

Helium is essential in various stages of semiconductor manufacturing, primarily because of its high thermal conductivity and inert characteristics.

Its capacity to quickly cool chips during production renders it indispensable, significantly as semiconductor nodes shrink and become more efficient.

With emerging industries like electric vehicles and 5G telecommunications fueling semiconductor innovation, the demand for helium is expected to rise dramatically.

Helium's inert nature and ability to remain a gas even at extremely low temperatures make it ideal for pressuring liquid hydrogen and other fuel tanks in rockets, ensuring efficient fuel flow to the engines. 
 
Helium is used in cryogenic systems to maintain instruments and engines at optimal temperatures, especially in spacecraft and satellites. 
 
Helium is a purge gas to clean out rocket engines and other systems. 
 
Helium's small atomic size allows it to escape easily through even the tiniest openings, making it valuable for testing leaks in critical systems. 
 
Helium's buoyant properties are essential for high-altitude balloons in atmospheric research and communications. 
 
The Space Shuttle made extensive use of helium to pressurise various systems. 

NASA uses helium to separate hot gases from ultra-cold liquid fuel during rocket lift-off. 
 

Sourcing helium domestically or from Canada is the easiest and most economical option. Transit time is crucial: If the shipment takes 35 to 48 days, the liquid helium will evaporate. 

The two other most enormous helium reserves are in Qatar and Russia.
The U.S. hasn’t been able to tap into Russia’s helium supply because of strained trade relations and the war in Ukraine. Meanwhile, attacks on ships in the Red Sea by Yemen’s Houthi rebels have forced Qatar to send liquified natural gas shipments, which contain helium, around the Cape of Good Hope, a route that adds at least 20 days to the journey. 

There is a finite amount of helium on Earth. The largest reserves are in massive underground pockets in Algeria, Qatar, Russia, and the U.S. 

The Spruce Pine Mining District in North Carolina is of immense global significance due to its production of ultra-pure quartz, which is essential in the manufacturing of semiconductors. Here's why Spruce Pine and its quartz are so important:

 1. Ultra-Pure Quartz and Its Use in Semiconductor Manufacturing

- The quartz mined from Spruce Pine is among the purest naturally occurring quartz in the world. The quartz extracted from this region has extraordinarily low levels of impurities, which makes it ideal for use in the semiconductor industry.

- Semiconductor wafers, used in computer chips and other electronic devices, are grown from silicon crystals. The process to grow these crystals requires ultra-pure silicon, which is produced using quartz crucibles. These crucibles need to be made from quartz that can withstand high temperatures and remain chemically stable during the Czochralski process, which is used to grow silicon ingots.

 2. The Czochralski Process

- The Czochralski process involves melting ultra-pure silicon in a crucible made from fused quartz. A small piece of silicon crystal is then dipped into the molten silicon and slowly pulled out while being rotated. This allows the crystal to grow into large, cylindrical silicon ingots later sliced into wafers.

- If the crucible is not pure enough, impurities from the quartz would contaminate the molten silicon, rendering the semiconductor wafers unsuitable for high-performance electronics.

- The Spruce Pine quartz is so pure that it minimizes ths risk of contamination, which is why it is sought after by semiconductor manufacturers worldwide.

 3. Global Importance

- Although quartz is abundant globally, the quartz from Spruce Pine is unique in its purity and clarity. This quality makes it the preferred source for producing the silicon chips used in virtually all modern electronics, including smartphones, computers, medical devices, and solar panels.

- Industry experts estimate that the ultra-pure quartz from Spruce Pine is used in 90% of the world’s semiconductor-grade silicon.

 4. Impact on Technology and Economy

- The demand for high-quality semiconductors has skyrocketed with the growth of technology in areas such as artificial intelligence, 5G networks, and electric vehicles. As the backbone of these technologies, semiconductors are critical to the modern digital economy, and the ultra-pure quartz from Spruce Pine plays an essential role in their production.