The U.S. federal government has added helium to its Critical Materials List under the Energy Act of 2020.
The Department of Energy (DOE) announced the designation on Friday, citing helium’s critical role in semiconductor manufacturing and other advanced technologies.
The designation makes helium supply a higher federal priority. It could make projects involving helium production and processing eligible for federal loans, grants, and other programs aimed at strengthening domestic supply chains.
Helium plays a critical role in the semiconductor industry, even though it isn’t part of the finished chip. Instead, manufacturers use it during production to control temperatures and create the precise conditions needed to reliably make the most sophisticated chips at scale….