Robert Yawger, energy futures strategist of Mizuho Americas, joins BNN Bloomberg and talks about tropical storm nine could hit U.S. oil output.
Chipmakers as far away as east Asia were hurrying to assess the impact of the mine closures in the stricken town of Spruce Pine. The incident underscores how small corners of today’s globalized supply chains can contain hidden vulnerabilities. The rare purity of Spruce Pine quartz helps to ensure the silicon produced will be flawless. That makes it a vital part of the global semiconductor supply chain, according to Ed Conway, a journalist who wrote about the importance of the mines in his 2023 book Material World.That may depend on how long it takes to reopen both the mines themselves and the transportation links that connect them to the outside world.
Some of these companies have months of existing inventory, according to industry research firm SemiAnalysis. But if the Spruce Pine situation drags on, they may move faster to diversify their sourcing of quartz, benefiting Sibelco and Quartz Corp.’s rivals.