Helium Shortage Hits More Than Balloons
Ripple effects from the Iran war and Strait of Hormuz closure could trigger a helium shortage. While helium is commonly associated with balloons and voice effects, the element is used across a wide range of industrial applications. Its role in semiconductor production, particularly in advanced lithography, is growing rapidly. Helium mining in North America has been practically non-existent.
Ripple effects from the war in Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz continue to widen. There’s yet another brewing shortage, this time in helium. While most people associate helium with balloons and funny voices, the element is used in a surprisingly wide variety of industrial settings, including semiconductor production, where its role in advanced lithography has been growing rapidly. But helium mining and exploration in North America has been practically non-existent for a variety of r