jon zellwegerFeb 8
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Short #hike #hiking #bearden #blueridgeparkway #BRP #northcarolina #sprucepine #linville #linvillegorge
N-gated Hacker NewsSep 13, 2025
Ah yes, the tech world's conspiracy theory du jour: the mystical powers of Spruce Pine #quartz 🧙‍♂️✨. Apparently, a quaint North Carolina town holds the key to #semiconductors and solar PV #manufacturing, because who wouldn't want to believe that the future of technology hinges on a rock? 🪨🤣
https://www.construction-physics.com/p/does-all-semiconductor-manufacturing #techconspiracy #SprucePine #solarPV #technologyhumor #HackerNews #ngated
Does All Semiconductor Manufacturing Depend on Spruce Pine Quartz?

Here’s an idea you see spreading across the internet every so often: that all semiconductor and solar PV manufacturing depends on extremely pure quartz from the town of Spruce Pine, North Carolina.

Construction Physics
Show threadAI6YR BenOct 3, 2024
Ooh, this is certainly a landslide--or trees down. Spruce Pine. End of Dover Lane. Sure hope the folks living in that house near by are okay! 35.86228, -82.07408 #SprucePine #NC #RemoteImaging #Helene
Benjamin Carr, Ph.D. 👨🏻‍💻🧬Oct 1, 2024
#HurricaneHelene devastates #quartz #mines critical for worldwide #semiconductor manufacturing.
The #SprucePine facilities are the only ones that produce ultra-pure quartz in the world. High-purity quartz is vital for various stages of chip production, so if its supply is disrupted, this could hurt the semiconductor industry, which is already struggling with supply issues.
https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/hurricane-helene-devastates-quartz-mine-critical-for-worldwide-semiconductor-manufacturing-spruce-pine-houses-the-worlds-only-ultra-pure-quartz-site #hurricane #helene
Hurricane Helene devastates quartz mines critical for worldwide semiconductor manufacturing

For now, the impact is unclear.

Tom's Hardware
🍀 Egghat НетBойне 🍀Oct 1, 2024
Tom's Hardware: The world's semiconductor industry hinges on a single quartz factory in North Carolina https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/semiconductors/the-worlds-semiconductor-industry-hinges-on-a-quartz-factory-in-north-carolina
»any sudden closure or interruption of the mining at Spruce Pine would likely cause "pretty catastrophic" disruption«
#SprucePine #BadNews
The world's semiconductor industry hinges on a single quartz factory in North Carolina

The deposits formed 380 million years ago when Africa collided with North America.

Tom's Hardware
Michael HanscomSep 30, 2024

With apologies and thanks to Randall Munroe's original Dependency comic: https://xkcd.com/2347/

#helene #SprucePine #quartz #xkcd

Dependency

xkcd
Show threadAI6YR BenSep 30, 2024

Spruce Pines cut off to Marion due to road failure

You can get to TN from Bakerville side

Only one air drop in Spruce Pine/medical. N2EMD is trying to bridge supply gap.

#Bakerville #SprucePine #NCwx #NCSTRONG

Ed Wilk antifascistSep 30, 2024

Fossil Locator
@FossilLocator
How do I express that I’m concerned about the people of western NC and I’m also concerned about the potential future global economic disaster because Spruce Pine is the sole producer of ultra pure Quartz for crucibles that all global semiconductor production relies on?

#Quartz #Helene2024 #Sprucepine

Show threadJoe VilasSep 29, 2024
@ai6yr
#NCSTRONG #SprucePine #NCwx
AI6YR BenSep 29, 2024
Station at Spruce Pine calling...first call from the town. Nine families. 40 trees down between them and the main road. #SprucePine #NCwx #NCStrong