📈 Data to start your week — Helium special

The Iran War’s unexpected front

Mar 23, 2026

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This post originally appeared in Exponential View.

Hi all,

The Iran War has created a chokepoint in the supply of helium, a byproduct of natural gas processing and LNG production that’s used in more than 20 steps of semiconductor fabrication. Headlines are making the helium situation sound apocalyptic for chips, but the reality is more nuanced.

Here’s what’s going on:

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