The small town of Spruce Pine, North Carolina, is one of the only sources of high-purity quartz on Earth, but it has been left battered by the storm's heavy rains

Operations at a crucial facility for the semiconductor industry in North Carolina have now been stopped for five days as the state recovers from the devastation brought on by the remnants of Hurricane Helene over the weekend.

Hurricane Helene, which recently hit North Carolina, caused severe flooding and damage across a vast swath. Among the areas affected is the small town of Spruce Pine, which is home to high-purity quartz mines,

One western North Carolina town reeling from Tropical Storm Helene could impact the massive global semiconductor industry. Why it matters: Spruce Pine is one of the only places in the world to mine high-purity quartz.