US designates helium as a critical material, citing its importance for semiconductors

The United States has officially designated helium as a critical material, citing its vital role in the production of semiconductors essential to various energy technologies. According to the Energy Department, the global supply of helium is at risk of disruption, prompting more federal funding for helium producers and increased government monitoring.

The U.S. is the world's largest producer of both natural gas and helium, with Qatar and Russia being the other leading producers. Exports of Qatar’s helium supply have been severely limited due to Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz and U.S. strikes on Qatar’s infrastructure. Russia imposed temporary export controls on helium in April to safeguard its domestic supply.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright emphasized the Trump administration's efforts to reduce dependence on foreign sources of critical materials, bolstering domestic manufacturing, creating jobs, and securing materials essential to U.S. security. The designation of helium came after metallocene-coal, used for steelmaking, was added to the list in 2025.

A non-fuel mineral element or substance must serve an essential function in one or more energy technologies and pose a high risk of supply chain disruption to be included on the critical materials list.

Helium's unique properties, such as being non-combustible and having the lowest boiling point of any gas, make it indispensable for wind, solar, nuclear energy production, space exploration, medical imaging, and research. Assistant Secretary of Energy Audrey Robertson highlighted helium's irreplaceability, stating that an ample supply is crucial for semiconductors, quantum and supercomputing, and superconducting magnets.

The nation needs to ensure that these technologies can be built domestically, as helium could represent a single point of failure in the supply chain.

David Isaacs, vice president of the Semiconductor Industry Association, emphasized helium's critical role in cooling, photolithography, and leak detection in the semiconductor industry. The group looks forward to collaborating with government and industry leaders to enhance supply chain resilience. The United States designates both critical minerals and critical materials, with some overlap, based on their importance to energy technologies and national security.