CONFLICT MINERALS

  • What are conflict minerals?

  • How can you help?

  • History and Future of Conflict Mineral Regulation

  • Oregon Passes a Conflict Minerals Policy

What are conflict minerals?
Conflict minerals have fueled and continue to help sustain the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC.) Armed groups have generated hundreds of millions of dollars by illegally extracting and smuggling tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold (3TG). Millions have been displaced, citizens continue to be terrorized, and rape is used as a weapon of war. These minerals eventually end up in consumer products such as computers and cell phones. Companies have the opportunity to contribute to peace in the Congo by making sure that the minerals they use in their products do not come from areas controlled by armed groups. But they will not take action unless their consumers require it. Consumer activism is essential to ensure that companies and industries as a whole prioritize conflict-free sourcing.

How can you help?
Educate your community about conflict minerals to help build a larger community of activists, working to support ethically sourced minerals and electronics. Some great resources to stay up to date on current legislation and news are:

Support organizations that are working to amplify the voices of affected communities and miners in the DRC including IMPACT,

The History and Future of Conflict Mineral Regulation
For decades, activists and affected communities in Congo have called attention to the links between their country’s minerals and its protracted armed conflicts. To the many communities historically impacted by the violence and lawlessness surrounding Congo’s 3TG mines, the need for transparent supply chains has been clear.

The regulation of the 3TG minerals has developed as a result of pressure from end-user companies, other stakeholders and legislative action, all of which when combined, have contributed to a significant decrease in violence and exploitation in mining areas. 

In 2010, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act became law. Section 1502 of Dodd-Frank, also known as the Conflict Minerals Act, was established to break the link between minerals and armed groups in Congo through creating a transparent supply chain for 3TG minerals. The rule simply requires all publicly traded companies to report if 3TG minerals sourced from Congo can be found anywhere in their supply chain. It does not require a boycott, nor does it require sanctions.

Since 2010, we have seen the infrastructure required for companies to audit their supply chains develop and prosper. Companies such as Intel, Kemet Electronics and Signet Jewelers have remained committed to sourcing from conflict-free mines in the region.

Change doesn’t happen overnight but it is clear that the creation of transparent supply chains has made a remarkable difference in the 3T mining sector in Congo. In 2016, a study found that 79 percent of miners at 3T mines surveyed in Congo now work in conflict-free mines. This is a major change, as the UN stated in 2010 that "almost every mining deposit was controlled by a military group.

Oregon Passes a Conflict Minerals Policy
In 2018, Never Again Coalition, Oregon Coalition for Humanity, Amnesty International USA Group 48 and Enough Project combined efforts to ask Oregon to institute responsible electronic purchasing through the enactment of a state procurement policy, requiring that all state-level purchases take into consideration the presence of conflict minerals when purchasing electronics. We believe that transparency and stability in the mining sector in DRC will help to ensure that armed groups cannot profit from violent and illegal mining practices, which in turn stunt local communities from economic growth. Oregon passed a Conflict Minerals Procurement Policy in 2019, making it the third state in the U.S. to do so. Learn more about the process and what it means for Oregon HERE.