Europe faces tighter helium supply as China cuts exports of the gas vital for microchips and MRI scanners. The ban follows Middle East conflict that halted Gulf exports; Russia supplies ~10% of global helium, much of it re‑exported through China.

China isn’t a producer but a conduit; the halt “pinches a re‑export valve Europe had been leaning on,” said Seokjoon Kwon. Prices for spot helium have doubled since the conflict, and long‑term contract prices are rising. Qatar Energy’s Ras Laffan plant, the world’s largest LNG facility, has halted production.

The EU banned direct Russian helium imports in 2024, yet Chinese re‑exports to Europe stayed high, averaging 16 per cent of China’s imports between March‑May. Russian export restrictions and a Ukrainian attack on the Orenburg plant worsened shortages, affecting aerospace, welding and semiconductor firms.

Industry groups warn prolonged constraints could ripple through global tech supply chains; US users are somewhat cushioned by domestic production, and medical‑grade helium remains prioritized for MRI operations.