The war on Iran has created a shortage of Helium, which plays a critical role in semiconductor manufacturing and in medical equipment such as MRI machines.
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The war on Iran has created a shortage of Helium, which plays a critical role in semiconductor manufacturing and in medical equipment such as MRI machines.
Helium is mostly produced as a byproduct of LNG production.
Following retaliation strikes by Iran, Qatar has halted most of its LNG production in the country, which has led to a suspension of helium production as well. Qatar supplies a third of the world’s helium.
https://lnginnorthernbc.ca/2026/03/22/war-in-iran-creates-shortage-of-helium-vital-for-semiconductors/
#UsPol
1/n@AkaSci
The "toy" balloons filled with helium are a waste. -
The war on Iran has created a shortage of Helium, which plays a critical role in semiconductor manufacturing and in medical equipment such as MRI machines.
Helium is mostly produced as a byproduct of LNG production.
Following retaliation strikes by Iran, Qatar has halted most of its LNG production in the country, which has led to a suspension of helium production as well. Qatar supplies a third of the world’s helium.
https://lnginnorthernbc.ca/2026/03/22/war-in-iran-creates-shortage-of-helium-vital-for-semiconductors/
#UsPol
1/nInsightful commentary by Shanaka Anslem Perera on the disruption of Helium production due to the war on Iran and its effect on semiconductor manufacturing and semiconductor economies.
"Helium cools the extreme ultraviolet lithography systems that print transistors at 3 nm. It purges etching chambers of contamination. It tests wafer seals. There is no substitute. Without helium, the EUV machines that print every advanced chip on the planet stop."
https://substack.com/@shanakaanslemperera/posts
2/n
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@AkaSci
The "toy" balloons filled with helium are a waste.@raymaccarthy @AkaSci Hopefully the situation will make all of them disappear quickly as the price of helium go high ?
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Insightful commentary by Shanaka Anslem Perera on the disruption of Helium production due to the war on Iran and its effect on semiconductor manufacturing and semiconductor economies.
"Helium cools the extreme ultraviolet lithography systems that print transistors at 3 nm. It purges etching chambers of contamination. It tests wafer seals. There is no substitute. Without helium, the EUV machines that print every advanced chip on the planet stop."
https://substack.com/@shanakaanslemperera/posts
2/nMore on Helium by Shanaka Anslem Perera -
"The war hit uranium first. Then oil. Then nitrogen. Then water. Then plastic. Then medicine. Then sulfur. Now helium. Eight layers. Each one deeper. Each one closer to the infrastructure that sustains modern civilisation. The chip that processes your data, the magnet that scans your body, and the rocket that launches your satellite all depend on an atom that leaves the planet when you lose it."
https://nitter.net/shanaka86/status/2034555938854846773#m
#UsPol
3/n -
The war on Iran has created a shortage of Helium, which plays a critical role in semiconductor manufacturing and in medical equipment such as MRI machines.
Helium is mostly produced as a byproduct of LNG production.
Following retaliation strikes by Iran, Qatar has halted most of its LNG production in the country, which has led to a suspension of helium production as well. Qatar supplies a third of the world’s helium.
https://lnginnorthernbc.ca/2026/03/22/war-in-iran-creates-shortage-of-helium-vital-for-semiconductors/
#UsPol
1/nHelium is also used as cryogenics on rockets.
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More on Helium by Shanaka Anslem Perera -
"The war hit uranium first. Then oil. Then nitrogen. Then water. Then plastic. Then medicine. Then sulfur. Now helium. Eight layers. Each one deeper. Each one closer to the infrastructure that sustains modern civilisation. The chip that processes your data, the magnet that scans your body, and the rocket that launches your satellite all depend on an atom that leaves the planet when you lose it."
https://nitter.net/shanaka86/status/2034555938854846773#m
#UsPol
3/n@AkaSci Uranium ? What was this about ? (Because I have not heard anything about Uranium, and the gulf is not amongst the key producers there).
(Canada, Oz, Niger, Russia, Mongolia Kazakhstan are not in the vicinity of that conflict).
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@raymaccarthy @AkaSci Hopefully the situation will make all of them disappear quickly as the price of helium go high ?
@Sobex @raymaccarthy @AkaSci They've been a waste for a very long time, ever since Congress voted to get rid of our helium reserves in the '70s or something.
Hydrogen floats just fine and is easily produced with hydrolysis. Just keep it away from the birthday candles unless you want the balloon to get your wish. XD
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@Sobex @raymaccarthy @AkaSci They've been a waste for a very long time, ever since Congress voted to get rid of our helium reserves in the '70s or something.
Hydrogen floats just fine and is easily produced with hydrolysis. Just keep it away from the birthday candles unless you want the balloon to get your wish. XD
@bluestarultor @raymaccarthy @AkaSci Hmm, I wonder from a safety point of view how dangerous would be a flying balloon filled with H2. (From a kaboom & fire hazard perspective)
(In practice we have 1 bar of pressure, in a volume of 4 L, at 20°C, so P = 10^5, V = 4 * 10-3
T = ~300 K
R = 8.314n = 400/(300*8.314) = 0.16 mol of H2.
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More on Helium by Shanaka Anslem Perera -
"The war hit uranium first. Then oil. Then nitrogen. Then water. Then plastic. Then medicine. Then sulfur. Now helium. Eight layers. Each one deeper. Each one closer to the infrastructure that sustains modern civilisation. The chip that processes your data, the magnet that scans your body, and the rocket that launches your satellite all depend on an atom that leaves the planet when you lose it."
https://nitter.net/shanaka86/status/2034555938854846773#m
#UsPol
3/nMore on supply-chain disruption from Baron's -
Energy
Helium
Aluminum
Fertilizers
Semi-conductors
Pharmaceuticals -
System shared this topic
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The war on Iran has created a shortage of Helium, which plays a critical role in semiconductor manufacturing and in medical equipment such as MRI machines.
Helium is mostly produced as a byproduct of LNG production.
Following retaliation strikes by Iran, Qatar has halted most of its LNG production in the country, which has led to a suspension of helium production as well. Qatar supplies a third of the world’s helium.
https://lnginnorthernbc.ca/2026/03/22/war-in-iran-creates-shortage-of-helium-vital-for-semiconductors/
#UsPol
1/n@AkaSci Perhaps killing the "AI" industry will be the one good achieved in this war.
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R relay@relay.infosec.exchange shared this topic
