Abidjan, 13 juillet 2026 (AIP) – The quest for the purest quartz has become a global phenomenon, with the mine of Spruce Pine in North Carolina, USA, at its epicenter. This rare mineral is essential for the production of high-performance semiconductors and memory chips used in modern electronics.
The quest for the purest quartz began millions of years ago, when tectonic movements pushed water out of the area, preventing impurities from entering the rocks. Today, this unique geological phenomenon has resulted in a quartz sample with an astonishing 99.999% purity.
But who owns this precious resource? Two major companies, Sibelco and The Quartz Corp, are locked in a battle for control of the mine. Both firms recognize the strategic importance of this mineral, which is used to manufacture wafers for cutting-edge electronics.
The stakes are high as China seeks to reduce its dependence on North American supplies by investing heavily in quartz production in Tibet and Xinjiang.
As global demand continues to rise, the risks of supply chain disruptions become increasingly apparent. A prolonged halt in production at Spruce Pine could lead to a sharp increase in prices, forcing manufacturers to explore alternative solutions.
The development of artificial intelligence relies heavily on high-quality semiconductors, making the quest for pure quartz a pressing issue. Sibelco has already invested $200 million in the mine to meet this growing demand, while The Quartz Corp has closed one of its US facilities due to declining sales of solar panels.
Despite the risks, some experts believe that Europe’s access to resources, particularly those found in Norway, could help mitigate dependence on North America. However, Laurent Carroué notes that abandoning American supplies would require accepting lower-quality minerals and investing heavily in infrastructure to refine them.
In the long term, researchers are exploring the potential of synthetic quartz produced through laboratory processes, which could offer a viable alternative within five to ten years.
