IT Firms Seek Conflict-Free Tantalum

U.S. legislation says it's time for show-and-tell

Securing the supply chain for electronics just got trickier. A new U.S. law is compelling companies to prove tantalum, tin, tungsten, and gold used in their products comes from conflict-free sources.

The Dodd-Frank financial-regulation law will particularly impact technology companies that use the rare earth metal tantalum, known for its corrosion-resistant qualities, in products such as smartphones, videogame systems, and computers.

The law is specifically targeted toward minerals and metals originating in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country still mired in violent conflict and highly dependent on its mining industry, illicit or otherwise, for revenue.

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