4. Congo is pretty big, too…
According to the total areas of both,
DRC is about 29% of the USA, which is
significant
5. Summary
• The DRC supplies
many important
minerals to the rest
of the world
• How these minerals
are obtained is
often secretive and
abuses human
rights
• Conflict minerals
are essential in
modern electronics
“Conflict minerals are minerals mined in
conditions of armed conflict and human
rights abuses, notably in the eastern
provinces of the Democratic Republic of
the Congo”
6. Natural Resources
• Congo is very rich in
natural resources
• It’s estimated to have
$24 trillion worth of
raw minerals and yet
almost ¾ of the
population live below
poverty line
• Most resource
extraction is done
through small
operations
8. Gold
45% used for
investment (as
store of value)
10% for industrial
purposes
45% used for
jewelry
Diamond
Hardest
substance known
to man
80% used for
sawing and
cutting (industrial
purposes)
20% used for
jewelry
Uses of Minerals
Cobalt
Magnets
Often used
in alloys
In jet
turbines
Its salts are
used as dyes
9. Tantalum
Very common
in electronics
(capacitators)
Used for
surgical
equipment
Used as
substitute for
platinum
Tungsten
Highest melting
point of any
metal (6,191°F)
Often used as
lead substitute
Used in light
bulbs
Uses of Minerals Continued
Tin
Coating on tin
cans
Used in solder
Used in phones
(≈7 grams of tin
per phone)
10.
11. What’s the problem if there’s so many
natural resources?
• DRC has a very weak
economical infrastructure
which would be unable to
support large-scale mining
• This leaves small, armed
groups to control much of
the mining
• Because of never ending
war, it is one of poorest
nations in the world This represents Congo not being able to
take full advantage of its vast resources
13. Mining
How You’re Hired:
• Gun-point
• Life threats
• Get a job to protect
yourself/family
Work Conditions:
• Difficult locations
• Horrible tools
• Tons of lifting
• May lead to death
14. Miners/soldiers are often children. This was taken in a gold mine in
Bavi, which is controlled by a warlord called Cobra Matata.
Photograph by Marcus Bleasdale for National Geographic
15. Shh!
Your very own laptop, camera, gaming system, cell
phone, diamond ring, you name it, may well have a
part of Congo’s pain buried in it
How does this affect us?
16. What is being done?
and Consumer Protection Act
• It was passed in 2010
• It requires companies to identify where the
minerals used in their products come from
• However, it is not illegal for companies to
continue doing so, it just means they must report
it
• Section 1502 of the Dodd-
Frank Wall Street reform
17. Sources
• "Conflict Minerals." The Price of Precious. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2014.
• "The Congo Mines That Supply "Conflict Minerals" For the World's Gadgets." Gizmodo.
N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2014.
• "Crisis In The Congo: Uncovering The Truth." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 18 May 2014.
• Delawala, Imtiyaz. "What Is Coltan?" ABC News. ABC News Network. Web. 20 May 2014.
• "Democratic Republic of Congo." Global Witness. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2014.
• "Is Your Cellphone Made With Conflict Minerals?" Slate Magazine. N.p., n.d. Web. 18
May 2014.
• Mcneil, Donald G. "IDEAS & TRENDS: Measuring a Diamond's True Price." The New York
Times. The New York Times, 16 Dec. 2006. Web. 18 May 2014.
• "Mining Industry of the Democratic Republic of the Congo." Wikipedia. Wikimedia
Foundation, 13 May 2014. Web. 18 May 2014.
• "Modern Uses of Gold." Buy Gold at GoldResourcenet, n.d. Web. 18 May 2014.
• "The Price of Precious - Photo Gallery." The Price of Precious - Photo Gallery. N.p., n.d.
Web. 18 May 2014.
• "What Are Conflict Minerals?" Source Intelligence. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2014.
• "What Are Diamonds Used For?" LoveToKnow. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2014.
• "YouTube Video Converter and Download." ClipConverter.cc. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May
2014.
18. The End
I hope you all walk away with a bit
more knowledge about the Congo,
conflict minerals, and where your
handy little device truly came from
