We rarely think about where our stuff comes from or how it's made. We go through our lives expecting that the things we consume are easily acquired. That is the beauty of modern society: supply chain logistics work so well that we seldom think about the consequences if these systems are disrupted. I think many of us thought about this for the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a wake-up call that revealed how fragile these systems could be, as it disrupted everything from basic goods to high-tech products.

Since the pandemic, I’ve become mildly interested in other supply chain vulnerabilities that could arise. Recently, I discovered one that is particularly concerning: the supply of semiconductor-grade quartz, which virtually all comes from one place—Spruce Pine, North Carolina.

What is semiconductor-grade [...]

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Outline:

(01:13) What is semiconductor-grade quartz?

(02:19) What are the alternatives?

(02:49) The Point of Failure

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Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.

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