What makes a mineral a conflict mineral?

Conflict Minerals are a term used to describe minerals or raw materials that originate from a place where there is a lot of geopolitical conflicts and it has a major influence in shaping up the mining practices and trading methods used for these minerals. The list of conflict materials includes tin, tungsten, tantalum, i.e., 3Ts and gold. All of these minerals that are sourced from eastern parts of Congo are regarded as conflict minerals. These Conflict Minerals are used to make different types of consumer electronics goods and also automotive products, jewelry, medical equipment, the aerospace industry, and numerous other industries. The serious political and social conflict in Congo can be reduced only when these materials originating in this part of Africa are prevented from being used commercially in other parts of the world.

The reason for controlling the use of Conflict Minerals is that they serve as an important financial resource for the warlords operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo region. Congo has been suffering from incessant conflict for many decades and this has led global organizations to take steps to prevent the use of these conflict minerals. These minerals function as important constituents in the production of mobile phones, computing systems, vehicles, and jewelry. However, the manufacturers of the original equipment as well as supply chain managers always have a careful approach when it comes to dealing with these minerals as they do not want conflicted specimens of these raw materials to get into production or are used on a commercial basis.

The conflict minerals that are mined and reared in the Democratic Republic of Congo region may be transported to international territories after they have passed through many other neighboring countries like Sudan, Angola, and Zambia before they are finally shipped to the processing facilities. It is a matter of concern that there can be traces of conflict minerals present in the supply chain and the people involved in handling them may not be aware of it. Such an issue can occur at any stage or point within the supply chain cycle. Factors like trading in DRC or mining within the area can give rise to such problems. Companies at different stages of the supply chain must take special precautions to make sure that the supply chain is free from all samples of conflict minerals. These minerals can be accidentally traded by stakeholders before they are used in diverse industries. It is thus necessary to implement careful measures to block the usage of conflict minerals.

Considering the complex geopolitical condition that prevails in Congo, it is essential to remember that the processes of mining the conflict minerals and business activities are mired with a conflicting environment and its implications. Supply chain professionals and business owners must consult with compliance service experts to make sure that they are not using the conflict minerals at any stage. This can help them to stay compliant with the rule of not using the conflict minerals at any stage of production, supply chain, or industrial usage.

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