"Exclusive: North Carolina Mines Sole Source of Semiconductor Quartz"
Two mines in a small North Carolina town are the world's sole suppliers of ultra-high-purity quartz, essential for semiconductor chips. The mines' owner, Sibelco, is investing $700 million to expand capacity to meet the increasing demand driven by AI technology. The unique mineral deposits in Spruce Pine formed 380 million years ago and are crucial to the global semiconductor supply chain. The investment aims to double high purity quartz capacity and keep up with the growing demand for the product.