this post was submitted on 22 Mar 2026
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[–] Lurkmore@hexbear.net 30 points 13 hours ago

I'm starting to think the global economy might be interconnected.

[–] queermunist@lemmy.ml 10 points 12 hours ago* (last edited 12 hours ago) (3 children)

Decided to look up where the world's helium comes from. Shocker: the largest supplier is the US at 81M m³ to Qatar's 64M m³

This war is looking more-and-more like the US trying to reset global resource supply chains, with itself at the top and center. Not only does it come out the best in an energy crisis, not only does it come out the best in a fertilizer crisis, but this too!

[–] yogthos@lemmy.ml 11 points 10 hours ago

That does seem to be the actual goal of the whole thing, but it does seem like the whole thing disproportionately hurts US allies. So, it's not a terribly well thought out plan. But the US is not exactly new to executing idiotic plans that ultimately backfire.

[–] allende2001@lemmygrad.ml 5 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago)

Decided to look up where the world’s helium comes from. Shocker: the largest supplier is the US at 81M m³ to Qatar’s 64M m³

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Scheme-of-helium-content-in-natural-gases-of-oil-and-gas-basins-of-Russia-1_fig1_341377553


https://archive.ph/wnv9z ("Russia's potential for helium production is concentrated in Krasnoyarsk Territory, Irkutsk Region and the Sakha Republic (Yakutia), the institute said. About 97% of Russia's helium reserves are located in Eastern Siberia and the Far East, where 35 helium-bearing gas fields have been discovered.")


Russia seems to have a lot of helium reserves. Production only needs to be scaled up (Power of Siberia 3 when?). And speaking of Iran...

[–] SchillMenaker@hexbear.net 5 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

That would make sense with any other administration and is possibly why these types of plans were drawn up and laying around, but these guys are way too damn stupid to think in those terms. They're trying to pump and dump and that's about it.

[–] yogthos@lemmy.ml 10 points 10 hours ago (1 children)
[–] SchillMenaker@hexbear.net 3 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

Yeah, that's why I said these plans were already drawn up. This admin couldn't have conceived of them from first principles because it is too venal and short-sighted, which is also why it can't achieve the goals they were designed for.

Pump, dump, repeat. If there's copper in the walls they'll find it.

[–] yogthos@lemmy.ml 1 points 58 minutes ago

I mean these are the dumbest possible people to try and actually execute these plans.

[–] chgxvjh@hexbear.net 10 points 13 hours ago

Huge blow for funny voice enjoyers.

[–] Noodles4dinner@hexbear.net 22 points 16 hours ago

The US once had a helium reserve. We were told it was a boondoggle created for airships and it was removed from the budget. Oopsie doodle.

[–] Ildsaye@hexbear.net 10 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

I recall hearing Ukraine had been a major helium supplier before the smo

[–] Collatz_problem@hexbear.net 1 points 5 hours ago

Neon, not helium, IIRC.

[–] Evilphd666@hexbear.net 11 points 15 hours ago

Ai slop but something to add -

Helium is formed slowly over billions of years through the radioactive decay of elements like uranium and thorium deep underground.

It accumulates in natural gas reservoirs but is so light it escapes Earth’s atmosphere and drifts into space once released, making it effectively irrecoverable. 

[–] QuillcrestFalconer@hexbear.net 9 points 15 hours ago (2 children)

Airgas, the largest distributor of pure helium products in the United States (22% of the market share) has announced that it is using the force majeure clause of its contracts and halting supplies to customers due to the destruction of QatarGas's train.

Won't be long before we something similar from Air Liquide.

https://xcancel.com/cirnosad/status/2034830207769780251#m

[–] Evilphd666@hexbear.net 2 points 6 hours ago

ACME level of clown company names.

[–] Speaker@hexbear.net 2 points 6 hours ago

Anything from Solidus Air?

[–] take_five_moments@hexbear.net 11 points 16 hours ago (3 children)
[–] ThermonuclearHoxha@hexbear.net 9 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

Bit idea: Iran war resulting in sustained nuclear fusion just to make more helium

[–] Blakey@hexbear.net 6 points 11 hours ago

fusion finally achieved thanks to support from powerful clown faction

[–] Kumikommunism@hexbear.net 4 points 11 hours ago

Trump killed Doc Ock's wife, so it's gonna be hard to convince him to let us use the fusion reactor.

[–] FlakesBongler@hexbear.net 6 points 15 hours ago

Send the army to Party City and nationalize the supply