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US designates helium as critical material amid Middle East supply shock
What happened
The US Department of Energy has officially designated helium as a critical material under the Energy Act of 2020. The source frames this action against a backdrop in which military conflict in the Middle East is crippling global energy infrastructure and driving a historic supply crisis for helium, which is described as an indispensable element in the production of semiconductors and advanced electronics as well as in medical imaging. The source does not state any specific restrictions or allocation measures resulting from the designation.
Impact and signal
High impactImpact score: 70/100
Affected components and suppliers
helium
US Department of Energy
heliumcritical material designationEnergy Act of 2020Middle East conflictsupply crisissemiconductors
Source and time
Source: DigiTimes Asia · 10/26/2026 · View original source
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