AND NOW THIS: Reduced silicon output in China is leading to increased chip production costs. “Silicon makes up around 28 percent of the Earth’s crust by weight, making it the second-most abundant material on the planet. However, the ongoing energy crunch in China has had a huge impact on the production of high-purity silicon, sending prices through the roof in the span of just two months. This further compounds the negative effects of other material and component shortages and is similarly expected to lead to higher prices for a wide variety of consumer and industrial products.”