Do you have any references to quantity, rate of extraction/delivery, and downstream refinement processes? The book looks to be 6 years old, and likely took a while to research, so it probably describes a world that’s evolved since.
My mental model is that there are economic tipping points for both refinment of lower-grade materials and synthesizing the material directly that mean “uneconomical” is a point-in-time judgement, not a long-term stable impossibility.
Also, if it’s all that valuable, it seems unlikely that road disruptions will stop the flow—it could reduce and delay it by a bit, but for highly-valuable stuff, there are lots of transport options that can work, if the price is allowed to adjust.
I am with you, I have been trying to find more sources to see if semiconductor-grade quartz if being produced in places like Norway and Brazil, where deposits of high purity quartz are found. But from the research I have done, it seems that roughly 90% of semiconductor-grade quartz produced today is produce at Spruce Pine. Please let me know if you find any sources that say the contrary (I hope I am wrong honestly).
With respects to road disruptions, I agree. If it’s a matter of national security, stakeholders will do whatever is necessary to ensure the material is transported out. However road disruptions is one part of the equation. There are other scenarios to consider such as power issues and destruction of the refining plants themselves that we have to take into consideration.
Do you have any references to quantity, rate of extraction/delivery, and downstream refinement processes? The book looks to be 6 years old, and likely took a while to research, so it probably describes a world that’s evolved since.
My mental model is that there are economic tipping points for both refinment of lower-grade materials and synthesizing the material directly that mean “uneconomical” is a point-in-time judgement, not a long-term stable impossibility.
Also, if it’s all that valuable, it seems unlikely that road disruptions will stop the flow—it could reduce and delay it by a bit, but for highly-valuable stuff, there are lots of transport options that can work, if the price is allowed to adjust.
I am with you, I have been trying to find more sources to see if semiconductor-grade quartz if being produced in places like Norway and Brazil, where deposits of high purity quartz are found. But from the research I have done, it seems that roughly 90% of semiconductor-grade quartz produced today is produce at Spruce Pine. Please let me know if you find any sources that say the contrary (I hope I am wrong honestly).
With respects to road disruptions, I agree. If it’s a matter of national security, stakeholders will do whatever is necessary to ensure the material is transported out. However road disruptions is one part of the equation. There are other scenarios to consider such as power issues and destruction of the refining plants themselves that we have to take into consideration.