19 Aug

7 Conflict Minerals That Cost People Their Lives … And What You Can Do About It

Thanks to a popular movie and a lot of media coverage, most of us are now familiar with so-called blood diamonds. However, diamonds are not the only minerals that are obtained from war-torn places like The Democratic Republic of Congo. There are many other minerals that come out of these types of places. These minerals cost more than just the money we pay for them; they cost people their lives.

Here’s a look at seven conflict minerals that are worth avoiding if you have a social conscience:

1. Gold. Many people around the world have stopped purchasing diamond jewelry out of concern that the diamonds are coming from environments dominated by insurgency, torture and death. However, gold jewelry (and the gold used in other items) may be just as much of a problem. It has been reported that 90% or more of the gold coming out of the Democratic Republic of Congo is undeclared gold that is tied to the same type of horrible conflicts that we are familiar with because of blood diamonds.

2. Wolframite. You may not know what this mineral is but there’s a good chance that you’ve handled it. That’s because this mineral is commonly used to create the vibration function in mobile phones. Unfortunately, it may be coming from conflict regions. The problem with this mineral and other minerals that are used in consumer electronics is that they pass through so many hands before becoming a complete product that it is sometimes impossible to tell where the parts came from.

3. Tungsten. Wolframite comes from tungsten. It is worth knowing this in case you are seeking more information on conflict minerals. You will want to research under both names to get complete information. Tungsten is also used in things like light bulbs.

4. Tin. Tin is used in a wide variety of ways in our every day lives. For example, it is used to produce solder which is then used in the wiring of many different types of consumer electronics.

5. Cassiterite. This is a chief ore that comes from tin. It is one of the leading conflict minerals directly related to tin that is mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

6. Tantalum. This is a metal that is used in electronics because of the fact that it is highly resistant to corrosion. It can also be used to make alloys which are then used to create various medical supplies ranging from surgical instruments to implants for the body. It also has the potential to be used in a diverse range of other products including glass lenses for cameras, the metal parts for vacuum furnaces and even inside of watches. Because of its diversity, it’s a sought after mineral which unfortunately also comes from conflict-torn regions.

7. Coltan. It is important to know that tantalum actually comes from an ore called coltan. People who are interested in researching the components of the products that they purchase will want to look under both names to determine whether or not this product is being used in the production of their goods.

What Can You Do?

Conflict minerals provide funds to leaders of war-torn areas. These leaders use these funds to purchase weapons which they then use to commit violent atrocities against the people living there. Some of the things you can do to help end this problem are:

• Recommit to your frugal way of living. The fewer consumer electronics you buy, the less you run the risk of contributing to this problem. Just being frugal helps.
• Buy natural items whenever you can. It is difficult to purchase only naturally-made green items. However, if you make a concentrated effort to do so then you can help to limit your link to conflict minerals. For example, if you only buy hemp or cloth jewelry from local manufacturers then you aren’t getting gold jewelry that might have come from conflict mines.
• Buy your products from reputable companies. Many electronics companies and jewelers are starting to take responsibility for making sure that they don’t use items that contain conflict minerals. Check into the backgrounds of the retailers and manufacturers from which you buy these high-end items.
• Invest in higher-quality consumer electronics. Choosing to pay more now for products that will last over a long period of time is always a smart move. It saves you money. It also helps to reduce the number of products that you purchase which helps to reduce your impact on war-torn regions devastated by the mining of conflict minerals.
• Be willing to pay a higher price for good consumer electronics. This is about more than just buying higher quality goods. It’s also about being willing to put your money where your beliefs are. Making sure that consumer goods don’t include conflict minerals may be costly for companies and they may have to raise prices to accommodate this. Being frugal still means that you can spend money where it counts and this could be one area that you choose.
• Recycle your electronics. When people buy recycled products, they reduce the demand for new products. We can’t be entirely sure that our consumer products don’t contain conflict minerals because of the complex shipping and manufacturing process at this time. However, we can help to end the cycle by buying used products and then re-selling or recycling our products so that others can buy used instead of new.
• Support legislation to monitor conflict minerals. This type of legislation has recently been passed in the U.S. as well as several other countries. Unfortunately, the British government is under attack for its familiar to take similar measures thus far. Support local, national and international measures to end the use of conflict minerals.
• Support charities that aim to put an end to conflict minerals. Frugal people do give to charity. They choose their charities wisely. If this is an issue that concerns you then it might be one that you want to consider donating to.

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