Is this tiny NC town behind the AI revolution? – WCNC.com

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Spruce Pine is the only place in the world you can find the precious minerals needed to make computer chips.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Artificial intelligence is growing at an almost unprecedented rate and as it turns out, a small mining town in North Carolina could be at the heart of it all. 

Some of the most critical minerals needed to make computer chips are right here in Charlotte’s backyard. Let’s connect the dots. 

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Ultra-high purity quarts is an essential component to the chips that have been powering the AI revolution. Right now, two mines in Spruce Pine, a small town about two hours northwest of Charlotte, are the only places on the planet we can get this high quality mineral. 

Sibelco, the owner of the mine, just invested $700 million to expand its capacity to keep up with increasing demand. Still, experts are nervous about whether the company will be able to meet the global needs. The company has been operating in Spruce Pine since the 1970s, when it acquired what was then North America’s largest silica sand producing operation.

Experts believe if these mines stopped operating, it would lead to a “catastrophic disruption” in the world economy that could set the entire globe back decades. 

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