An ongoing international helium shortage has reached Martin and can already be felt by local businesses and UTM.

There are only two helium plants in the United States. One is in Kansas and the other one is in Texas. Both are responsible for about 40 percent of helium to be used in the United States.

Gary Mansfield, specialist in the Chemistry Department, noted that the United States is probably the world’s largest producer of helium; however some of it is being purchased down in South America, where both plants have been down for about two months.

“There have been construction delays announced by both plants and they are saying it may be some time after the first of the year before they are back up and running at 100 percent,” says Mansfield.

Bureau of Land Management is a governmental agency that oversees helium resources and its distribution. It had set the priorities for scant helium usage, which include military operations, medical uses and educational research facilities.

“Most places get an estimated 80 percent of what has been ordered because of the delay due to the helium rationing. I was afraid my instruments will go down, because of the delay it took for helium delivery,” says Mansfield. “I keep a certain surplus of helium in case of emergency.”

Since mid-June helium prices have increased 17-35 percent in production. UTM chemistry lab contains one NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) machine that uses helium gas. NMR machine, which is related to an MRI machine, is the most important instrument used in chemistry labs. Liquid helium is used as a super cooling agent that runs this machine, and this is one major element that has currently been in short supply. NMR is very critical in teaching organic and analytical chemistry.

The Chemistry Department doesn’t have any helium manufacturing machines. It is good to keep some small surplus of helium, but too much will just evaporate.

“I received notice in the mail today from our gas supplier, Airgas, that we are being rationed and will receive only 40 percent of our requested amounts of helium until the situation changes,” says Mansfield.