On September 26, operators at a North Carolina quartz mine halted operations after more than two feet of rain from Hurricane Helene destroyed roads, cut off power and water, and damaged infrastructure.
Even if temporary, the closure is expected to have global repercussions due to the surprisingly significant role this single mine, nestled in the Appalachian town of Spruce Pine, plays in the technology sector.
Situated about an hour northwest of Asheville, Spruce Pine contains the world’s largest known deposit of naturally occurring high-purity quartz, a critical material for manufacturing semiconductors, solar panels, and fiber-optic cables.
To determine the extent of damage to the mine and surrounding area, we analyzed high-resolution satellite imagery collected over Spruce Pine.
Umbra Space provided a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image, which is particularly advantageous after a storm since SAR can penetrate cloud cover and capture detailed data regardless of weather conditions.
We then applied an algorithm to the SAR imagery to detect the presence of water. By extracting and classifying water pixels, we generated a flood extent map.
We have demonstrated this capability in flood-affected areas, including in Australia, Guam, Indonesia, North Dakota, and Ukraine.
The Spruce Pine quartz mine is located north of downtown, accessible via Highway 226. The North Toe River runs along the edge of the mining district, paralleled by a CSX rail line that transports quartz from the mines to processing and export sites.
The GIF below displays satellite imagery of the mining district, including roads and rail lines. It starts with an optical image for reference, followed by the Umbra SAR image collected on October 2, both with and without flood detections.
There was likely flooding throughout the area, including on the primary and secondary roads leading to and from the mine, along the railway tracks, and in some of the mining pits.
An initial assessment of the damage by one of the two mine owners revealed only ‘minor damage,’ offering a rare piece of good news. The timing of the reopening is crucial.
A prolonged disruption impacts not only industries reliant on quartz, but also presents a significant challenge to the local economy, as the mine is the largest employer in Mitchell County.
The town supervisor told The Washington Post that approximately three-quarters of the town’s residents have a direct connection to the mine.
“If there is no cash in, especially in a county with as many people on the poverty scale as we have already, we are going to have a really difficult fall and winter if that doesn’t happen quickly,” he said.
Gaining a full understanding of the scope of damage is the first step to thinking about a realistic timetable for reopening the mine.
