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Local News - Local - July 19, 2012
Helium shortage deflates sales
Medical facilities given top priority for temporarily scarce gas

By Treva Lind
Of the Journal of Business

Flower shop owner Karen Stokes says her store has created balloon columns that don't need helium in light of the shortage.
Flower shop owner Karen Stokes says her store has created balloon columns that don't need helium in light of the shortage.
—Staff photo by Treva Lind
Buying party balloons at some stores may rise to new heights of difficulty as helium suppliers here deal with a worldwide shortage of the gas at least until September.

Higher demand and lower production globally could deflate availability farther into the future.

Helium is used for scientific research, arc welding, gas leak detection, and many other applications beyond the floating of balloons. For instance, liquid helium is critical as a coolant for magnetic resonanc...


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