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The Tantalum Connection: Conflict Minerals and Technology

Within many mobile phones lies a tiny quantity of tantalum, a metal with origins that can be traced back to the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), where ongoing conflict disrupts the region. The situation has recently garnered attention, particularly with the activities of the M23 rebel group.

This minuscule element, less than half the size of an average garden pea, is vital for the functionality of modern smartphones and a wide array of electronic devices. Tantalum is renowned for its capacity to hold a high charge relative to its size and its ability to operate effectively across various temperatures. Thus, it serves as an excellent component in small capacitors that temporarily store energy.

Although tantalum is extracted from various locations around the world, including Rwanda, Brazil, and Nigeria, it is estimated that over 40% of its global supply comes from the DR Congo, with critical mining regions now under the dominance of the M23 group. The latest surge of violence, which has persisted for months, escalated with the recent assault on Goma, a key trading city adjacent to Rwanda and a crucial hub for the mineral industry.

Over the past year, the M23 has rapidly expanded its territorial control across the mineral-rich landscape of eastern DR Congo, seizing areas where coltan—the ore from which tantalum is derived—is mined. Originally formed to protect the rights of an ethnic group perceived to be under threat, the M23 has evolved, with mining operations now providing significant financial support for its fighters and weaponry.

In April, the group took control of Rubaya, a town regarded as the heart of the country’s coltan mining. Rather than being dominated by large multinational corporations, mineral extraction in this region consists of thousands of individuals engaged in unsafe and unhealthy practices, working in makeshift mines that pockmark the landscape.

Once the M23 assumed control over Rubaya, they established what a United Nations panel described as a “state-like administration.” This involved issuing permits to miners and traders, imposing annual fees, and doubling the wages of diggers to ensure compliance. This control has enabled the M23 to monopolize the local mining industry, enforcing strict regulations through threats of arrest and detention against unauthorized traders.

The M23 also levies a tax of $7 per kilogram of coltan mined. Reports indicate that this taxation system generates an estimated $800,000 monthly for the rebels, with funds likely diverted to sustain their military efforts.

Yet, there remains uncertainty about how the ore from M23-controlled regions integrates into the global supply chain. Rwanda, which is often viewed as an ally of the M23, plays a pivotal role in this dynamic. An initiative known as the Innovative Tin Supply Chain Initiative (Itsci) was created to prevent the inclusion of minerals sourced from conflict areas in electronic devices. However, experts raise concerns about its effectiveness.

Ken Matthysen, a specialist in security and resource management, emphasizes the challenges local authorities face in monitoring numerous small-scale mining operations. Although Itsci employs tagging mechanisms to verify mineral origins, the practicalities of transport hinder effective tracking, raising the potential for corruption within the system.

Despite these criticisms, Itsci has maintained some credibility, conducting independent audits and claiming to foster prosperity for numerous small-scale miners. However, operations in Rubaya halted shortly after the M23’s takeover, though the group has continued to facilitate coltan exports through convoluted supply channels that lead to Rwanda.

Examination of data shows that Rwanda’s coltan exports surged by 50% from 2022 to 2023, further complicating the narrative around the mineral’s origin. While Rwandan officials assert their country’s mining capacity, observers argue that it’s unlikely all exports are sourced from within Rwanda, thereby questioning the integrity of the supply chain.

In response to the ongoing conflict, the Congolese government has initiated legal action in France and Belgium against subsidiaries of tech giant Apple for allegedly utilizing conflict minerals. Apple contests these accusations, noting it ceased sourcing tantalum from the DR Congo and Rwanda due to escalating violence and challenges surrounding certification protocols.

As the M23 gains additional territory, components of tantalum sourced from their mines may still infiltrate the technology that is integral to daily life. This reality underscores the complex and often troubling intersection of conflict, mineral resources, and global technology supply chains.

More BBC stories on the conflict in DR Congo:

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