What are conflict minerals?

Conflict minerals refers to mined substances that are often dug up by forced labor in regions of conflict. The most common of these minerals are tantalum, tin, tungsten and gold.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is most often referred to in modern discussions of conflict minerals, though the practice can occur in other regions. Countries such as Zimbabwe, Burma, Colombia and Afghanistan have all had similar problems, as of 2014. The 2010 Dodd-Frank Consumer Protection Act, Section 1502, was instituted to address conflict minerals. This section required businesses to identify the source of raw materials used in products to help identify, and prevent the use of, conflict minerals in consumer products.