The Iran war is threatening supply of a little-thought-of resource — helium. What it means for markets

The war in the Middle East could pose a threat to the semiconductor industry and other sectors dependent on a resource produced in the Gulf — helium.Helium is a little-known but key input in many industries, most notably technology. In semiconductor manufacturing, its cooling properties are used to transfer heat. Helium is also indispensable in photolithography, a technique used to print each chip's intricate circuitry.The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that before the war Qatar produced more than one-thi ...