Today, strategic metals such as tantalum, tin, tungsten and gold are used for their properties and characteristics in many sectors, including the electronics industry.
These minerals are sourced in particular in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and adjacent countries, where illegal mining helps finance armed groups that have been active for almost two decades, causing serious human rights violations and considerable ecological damage in the region. Hence the term "conflict minerals".
What are these conflict minerals? What are the effects of their exploitation, both in human and environmental terms?
Regulations are trying to react to regulate and control these minerals. What are the existing tools for tracing these minerals through manufacturers' supply chains, and are they effective?
This infographic summarizes the main points of article AG105 "Conflict minerals used in the electronics industry" by Marianna Reynes, using images and graphics.