Conflict Mineral
Definition
A mineral whose extraction or trade finances armed conflict. The OECD defines 3TG (tin, tantalum, tungsten, gold) from conflict-affected and high-risk areas (CAHRAs) as requiring enhanced due diligence. Diamonds are covered by the Kimberley Process.
- Core group
- 3TG: tin, tantalum, tungsten, gold
- Guidance body
- OECD due diligence guidance
- Risk zones
- Conflict-affected and high-risk areas (CAHRAs)
- Separate regime
- Diamonds, covered by the Kimberley Process
Common questions
Why are 3TG minerals singled out rather than minerals in general?+
Tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold are widely used in electronics manufacturing and have documented supply chains running through conflict zones, particularly the Great Lakes region of Africa, where their trade has financed armed groups. This combination of traceable demand and documented conflict financing led the OECD to target them specifically.
How does forensic provenance analysis relate to conflict mineral due diligence?+
Isotope and trace-element signatures can help determine whether a mineral sample originated from a declared conflict-free source or from an undisclosed high-risk area, supporting supply chain audits that self-reported certificates alone cannot verify.
Related terms
- Epsilon-Nd (εNd)
- The 143Nd/144Nd ratio of a sample expressed as a deviation in parts per ten thousand from the chondritic uniform reservoir (CHUR). Positive...
- Inclusion Fingerprinting
- Identification of mineral inclusions trapped inside a gemstone during growth as indicators of the geological environment. Marble-hosted rubies typically contain calcite and...
- Kimberley Process (KPCS)
- An international certification scheme launched in 2003 that requires participant countries to certify that rough diamonds are conflict-free before export. Isotope and...
- LA-ICP-MS Trace-Element Profiling
- Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry applied directly to a polished gemstone surface. It measures dozens of trace elements simultaneously in...
- REE Pattern (Rare Earth Element Pattern)
- A plot of rare earth element concentrations normalised to chondrite or primitive mantle, showing the relative enrichment or depletion of each REE...