An article by Wharton professor Ethan Mollick explains how the modern economy relies heavily on a single road in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, leading to a Sibelco facility mining ultra-high-purity quartz crucial for refining silicon wafers. This unique location is the sole supplier of the quartz needed for semiconductor production. Should anything happen to disrupt operations in Spruce Pine, it could have catastrophic effects on the industry. With geologically fascinating origins and a history dating back centuries, the Spruce Pine mine remains a vital source of high-quality minerals used in various technologies, from electronics to solar cells.
https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/semiconductors/the-worlds-semiconductor-industry-hinges-on-a-quartz-factory-in-north-carolina