The Spruce Pine narrative is a classic case of the internet oversimplifying a complex supply chain into a single point of failure story.
Yes, the quartz there is unusually pure and cheap to refine, and it dominates supply today. But semiconductors aren’t going to vanish overnight if those mines shut down. Synthetic quartz exists, other deposits exist, and the fabs already buffer crucibles.
The problem isn’t “chips depend on one town,” it’s “alternatives cost more and yields suffer.”
What’s actually interesting is that crucibles themselves are a hidden bottleneck. They drive up to a third of the cost of ingot production, and they wear out fast.
If someone develops a longer-lasting crucible material it wouldn’t just de-risk supply, it would lower solar PV costs and boost semiconductor efficiency.
The Spruce Pine hype is fun apocalypse bait, but the real opportunity is crucible innovation.
See also all the hype about rare earths being needed for electric motors and generators, or cobalt for batteries. Neither of those are really strictly needed. Induction motors can be used instead which don't require any magnets (but those are a few percent less efficient); Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries don't need cobalt (they are slightly less powerful but cheaper and safer).
It’s interesting that the North Carolina quartz deposits are mined by two foreign interests. That despite the size of the US there was no company that could do it as economically as the Belgians and Norwegians. Presumably due to lack of expertise?
The Spruce Pine narrative is a classic case of the internet oversimplifying a complex supply chain into a single point of failure story.
Yes, the quartz there is unusually pure and cheap to refine, and it dominates supply today. But semiconductors aren’t going to vanish overnight if those mines shut down. Synthetic quartz exists, other deposits exist, and the fabs already buffer crucibles.
The problem isn’t “chips depend on one town,” it’s “alternatives cost more and yields suffer.”
What’s actually interesting is that crucibles themselves are a hidden bottleneck. They drive up to a third of the cost of ingot production, and they wear out fast.
If someone develops a longer-lasting crucible material it wouldn’t just de-risk supply, it would lower solar PV costs and boost semiconductor efficiency.
The Spruce Pine hype is fun apocalypse bait, but the real opportunity is crucible innovation.
See also all the hype about rare earths being needed for electric motors and generators, or cobalt for batteries. Neither of those are really strictly needed. Induction motors can be used instead which don't require any magnets (but those are a few percent less efficient); Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries don't need cobalt (they are slightly less powerful but cheaper and safer).
Hunterbrook did a great piece about this after Hurricane Helene last year.
https://hntrbrk.com/essential-node-in-global-semiconductor-s...
!
Spruce Pine quartz that doesn’t quite make the purity cut gets used for sandtraps in high-end golf courses.
It’s interesting that the North Carolina quartz deposits are mined by two foreign interests. That despite the size of the US there was no company that could do it as economically as the Belgians and Norwegians. Presumably due to lack of expertise?
Belgium and Norway are firmly in the US' orbit. They're not going anywhere.