Spruce Pine, North Carolina, was hit with major flooding and power outages. | Photo by Steve Exum / Getty Images Sibelco, one of the companies mining high-purity quartz in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, has resumed operations. In an update on Thursday, the company said that production and shipments of the quartz, which is crucial to the chipmaking process, are “progressively ramping up to full capacity.” After Hurricane Helene caused devastating floods, mudslides, and power outages in parts of North Carolina, Sibelco announced that it had paused its operations. Earlier this month, the company confirmed it only incurred “minor” damage and that all of its employees were accounted for. Spruce Pine has the only naturally occurring quartz in the world that’s pure enough to use as a crucible during the chip manufacturing process. In the past, some experts... Continue reading…