Conflict Mineral Trafficking

The illicit trade in a mineral, most commonly tin, tantalum, tungsten or gold, extracted from a conflict affected or high-risk area and sold in a manner that finances or benefits an armed group or human rights abuser, most extensively documented in connection with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where control over mining sites producing these minerals has been a documented source of revenue for armed factions during decades of regional conflict. International responses have included the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, established in 2003 to curb the trade specifically in conflict diamonds, and conflict minerals disclosure requirements enacted in the United States under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, which require certain companies to report on their use of these minerals and the diligence taken to avoid sourcing them from conflict financing supply chains.