March 13 (Reuters) - Avanti Helium ( ARGYF ) on Friday

reiterated its request for the United States to designate helium

as a critical mineral, warning that rising geopolitical risks

and shrinking domestic output are putting long-term supply

security at risk.

Disruptions to natural gas processing in Qatar, caused by

the U.S.-Israel and Iran war, have pushed helium prices sharply

higher. The gas is produced as a byproduct of LNG processing, so

any slowdown in output directly cuts global supply.

The company said growing dependence on foreign suppliers,

including Qatar and Russia, along with the sale of the Federal

Helium Reserve, could leave the U.S. facing a structural supply

deficit as demand accelerates.

* Avanti says demand could nearly double over the next

decade, increasing U.S. reliance on imports.

* The company adds the supply disruption could have direct

impacts on U.S. defense readiness, semiconductor manufacturing

and medical infrastructure.

* CEO Chris Bakker says, gobal supply is concentrated in

sensitive regions, so the U.S. must prioritize secure domestic

and North American helium.

* Helium is essential for various industries, including

semiconductors, aerospace, space launch systems, MRIs, quantum

computing and advanced manufacturing.

* The Federal Helium Reserve was the U.S. government's

strategic helium stockpile, which was sold to a foreign buyer in

2024.

* Avanti's Sweetgrass Helium Project in Montana is expected

to enter production in 2026 to supply the U.S. market.

* The company says the project offers a stable North

American supply compared with geopolitically sensitive regions.

* Helium spot prices have doubled since the Middle East

crisis began, according to Phil Kornbluth, ​president of

Kornbluth Helium Consulting, as buyers scramble to secure

supplies.