Helium is a vital resource for making too many of the high tech industry's products. Its a byproduct of natural gas extraction and is getting in short supply. Here is a good explanation of the history and current situation. The article also serves as a example of how resource depletion will play out going forward, as other resources become scarce.

"The Race to Find ‘Green’ Helium - Helium is a critical—and finite—resource. The future of our most indispensable technologies depends on a new supply."