End-users from electronics industy how to cope with raw materials from African conflict region
2010-07-02 09:15:30 【Print】
Asian Metal (BEIJING) 2 Jun 10 – Tantalite price keeps rising since late 2009 and current price goes up nearly above USD60/lb, and most market participants attribute continuous price increase to short supply in overall market. Furthermore, the shortage of materials is caused by objection of using mine from African war torn areas. A pair of bills aimed at stopping the flow of conflict metals are under review by the US Congress. A US House committee has passed the conflict minerals bill, which would establish penalties for the import of columbite and tantalite.
A group of leading solder manufacturers has issued a position statement showing its support for government intervention as a means to stop the flow of controversial metal ores from Congolese mines.
Intel has found itself in dilemma over its apparent opposition to US legislation outlawing materials gained from a central Africa war zone.
IT companies and mobile phone makers have been accused of fuelling civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by buying components made using raw materials from mines in the country.
A number of mineral are involved in the special region, although most attention has centred on mineral columbite-tantalite, known as coltan. Coltan is a vital ingredient in the capacitors used in mobile phones, laptops and other electronic devices. Over 80 per cent of the world's coltan reserves are found in the DRC. Many mines, particularly in the east of the country, are under the control of armed groups.
The UN Security Council has described the trade in conflict minerals as "the world’s leading example of the financial losses and human suffering caused by illegal trafficking in natural resources.’’
In an attempt to halt the trade, US congressman Jim McDermott introduced the Conflict Minerals Trade Bill last November, requiring manufacturers to trace the raw materials used in their products.
In a statement explaining its position on the Bill, Intel said: “We support the objective of US legislation to address this problem. We want to be certain that the legislation will be implementable, achieve real change in the mineral supply chains and not result in an unintended ban of legitimate trade from the DRC.”
