Chip Makers Monitor Quartz Supply After Hurricane Halts Production

Core Insights - Hurricane Helene has impacted high-purity quartz mines in North Carolina, raising concerns among global semiconductor manufacturers regarding quartz supplies, which are critical for chip production [1][2] - Major semiconductor companies, including TSMC and Infineon Technologies, are monitoring the situation but do not anticipate significant operational disruptions [1] - Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix also expect minimal disruption to their operations due to the situation [1] - GlobalWafers, a leading silicon supplier, has stated that the supply chain has adequate stock to manage temporary interruptions and does not foresee any impact on current order fulfillment [2] Semiconductor Industry Response - TSM supplier Topco Scientific is actively assessing inventory levels and maintaining communication with suppliers to gauge the situation [1] - The typical stockpiling behavior of semiconductor companies may mitigate the immediate impact of the supply disruption [1] Quartz Mining Operations - Quartz mining companies Sibelco and Quartz suspended production on September 26 due to the hurricane, which caused flooding and power outages [2] - The timeline for resuming production at these mines remains uncertain, adding to the ambiguity in quartz supply [2]