S.3058 The Conflict Coltan and Cassiterite Act of 2008

This bill was not passed by the last session of Congress and was therefore cancelled. It will need to be reintroduced in this session. We will keep you updated on any news. Please write your Senator and urge them to reintroduce this bill.

An important piece of legislation is currently in the Finance Committee of the US Senate. This legislation has a direct bearing on the current conflict in the DRC. Much of the funding for the rebels, renegade army troops, and militias comes from the illegal mining of Coltan (columbite-tantalite) and Cassiterite (Tin). These ores are widely used in the electronics industry and used in cell-phones, computers etc.

Anyone who cares to see the fighting ended and peace restored to the DR Congo should write there senators and ask for them to co-sign this bill and help to bring it to the floor for a vote.

I imagine there will be strong opposition to this bill from the industries that benefit from using Coltan and Cassiterite.

I have include the full text of the bill as a page on my blog.

For more info on the bill:

Go here to track the bill.

PDF of the bill to download.

Library of Congress THOMAS page on the bill.

From Senator Brownback’s ( the bills sponsor) website,

Brownback, Durbin Introduce Conflict Mining Bill

Legislation would require certification of minerals mined in Congo

Friday, May 23, 2008

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced the Conflict Coltan and Cassiterite Act, legislation which would require certification of minerals imported from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“We are witnessing a grave humanitarian crisis in Congo, and we must act now to put an end to the death and suffering,” said Brownback. “Everyday, Americans use products that have been manufactured using inhumanely mined minerals. The legislation introduced by Senator Durbin and I will bring accountability and transparency to the supply chain of minerals used in the manufacturing of many electronic devices.”

Every day in Congo, 1,500 people die as a direct or indirect result of the conflict over the mining of minerals like cassiterite and coltan; to date, the conflict has displaced more than 1.3 million Congolese and has resulted in over 5.4 million deaths.

“Without knowing it, tens of millions of people in the United States may be putting money in the pockets of some of the worst human rights violators in the world, simply by using a cell phone or laptop computer,” Durbin said. “We ought to do all we can to make sure that the products we use and the minerals we import, in no way support those who violate human rights abroad.”

The Conflict Coltan and Cassiterite Act requires the President to compile a list of armed groups in the DRC committing serious human rights violations, and prohibits the importation into the U.S. of any product containing columbite-tantalite (“coltan”) or cassiterite (tin ore) from the DRC if groups on the list would financially benefit.

Approximately 65% of the world’s coltan reserves are located in Congo. Congolese civilians are terrorized and brutalized by warring rebel groups seeking to capitalize on the mining of these minerals. Coltan is commonly used in electronic devices like cell phones, computers, and DVD players.