Shortages of Neon, Other Rare Gases Likely in Wake of Russia Limiting Exports

[Elderberry]

Legal Insurrection by  Leslie Eastman Sunday, June 26, 2022

Semiconductor chip shortage likely to follow in its wake.

n response to sanctions, Russia has limited exports of noble gases that are critical to making semiconductor chips, at least until the end of 2022.

    Russia’s export curbs could worsen the supply crunch in the global chips market. Ukraine was one of the world’s largest suppliers of noble gases until it suspended production at its plants in the cities of Mariupol and Odesa in March.

    Exports of noble gases, which Russia used to supply to Japan and other countries, will be allowed only with special state permission until Dec. 31, the Russian government said on May 30.

    The move will provide an opportunity to “rearrange those chains that have now been broken and build new ones,” Deputy Trade Minister Vasily Shpak told Reuters via the ministry’s press service on Thursday.

Noble gases are inert, non-reactive gases (e.g., neon, helium, xenon). Their outer atomic shells are filled with electrons, so they are stable by themselves.

They are essential for semi-conductor work, because that work involves materials that are highly reactive and readily ignitable. It allows the reactions to occur in a controlled, stable atmosphere.

More: https://legalinsurrection.com/2022/06/shortages-of-neon-other-rare-gases-likely-in-wake-of-russian-limiting-exports/

[Smokin Joe]

Noble gases (helium (He), neon (Ne), argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), xenon (Xe) and radon (Rn)) are either distilled from atmosphere, or recovered from produced Wellhead Gas in Oil and Gas wells as a rule. Neon, argon, krypton, and xenon are considered desirable (Radon is not, and often comes from decaying Uranium/Thorium in naturally occurring low grade deposits where there are near surface coals or organic rich shale, and accumulates in basements locally, forming a likely cancer risk).

Helium can and does escape the atmosphere, and  primarily accumulations of it have been found in conjunction with oil and Natural Gas. The others are distilled fractionally from the atmosphere, where they are present in low concentrations.
 If the Russians can distill Neon and Argon, why can't we?

[Hoodat]

Argon not mentioned.  It makes up 1% of our atmosphere (which is 25 times more plentiful than CO₂).

[Smokin Joe]

The seven noble gases: helium (He), neon (Ne), argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), xenon (Xe), radon (Rn), and oganesson (Og). Og is extremely rare, only a few atoms have been created in the lab (Atomic Number 118, Mass number 294) Only the first five have practical use, as Radon is considered hazardous.