A little known but essential part of the semiconductor manufacturing chain was shut down by the recent Hurricane Helene in the US. It is not often talked about because of the critical importance of these locations, but semiconductor manufacturing would not be easily maintained without these two mines at Spruce Pines in North Carolina. The latest information is that, while production has been disrupted, and human lives have been drastically affected, there is enough back-up stock to maintain the supply of this vital material. And while concerns abound about the future of the semiconductor sector, there is no need to run for the hills just yet. “There are few such cases where we are so utterly reliant on a single…