U.S. Adds Helium to Critical Materials List, Integrating It into Supply Chain Security Framework for Reindustrialization

The U.S. Department of Energy designated helium as a critical material on Friday, marking it as the 20th critical material identified by the agency under the Critical Materials framework of the Energy Act of 2020, which will now receive closer government monitoring. Helium is an essential industrial gas for semiconductor manufacturing, medical imaging, quantum computing, and other fields. It currently faces geopolitical risks in the Gulf region, with Qatari exports significantly reduced due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and Russia implementing temporary export controls in April.