Helium Shortage Looms for United States
Date: Wednesday, December 06 @ 19:45:56 EST
Topic: Quickies
The United States is in the midst of a helium shortage. Large-scale users are not yet in crisis mode, but helium is in short supply because several overseas plants aren't up and running. And soon, the federal helium program will shut down for nearly two weeks.
About 20 percent of the global market for helium is used to super-cool
magnets in MRI machines; another 17 percent is used for laser welding.
Another customer of helium is NASA, which requires a train-car-load of
helium for each space-shuttle launch. Helium balloon fans -- of
whatever age -- shouldn't worry about a shortage, however: The balloons
suck up only 8 percent of the helium stock. Here is the offical NPR
link where the above information was copied from.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6444180&ft=1&f=1001
I would just like to ask all those who are reading this to please do
your part to help end the helium shortage. Have a good day. Jimbo
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