Journal: Conflict Diamonds vs Conflict Tantalum

Not all mineral and elements are derived from conflict based sources but most have some portion of their worldly production derived from conflict sources.You have heard of African Conflict Diamonds but have you heard of African Conflict Tantalum? Mining these mineral also brings environmental consequences.

http://www.un.org/peace/africa/Diamond.html

Over 80% of the mineral 'coltan' (columbite-tantalite) comes from the Congo and that mineral is the source of the tantalum required for the manufacture of tantalum based capacitors which are necessary for nearly all high technolgy products, such as computers, cell phones, logic boards in TV's, radios, CD players, etc,etc. Some links provided for further reading.

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/nightline/DailyNews/coltan_explainer.html
http://www.guerrillanews.com/newswire/36.html
http://www.semmuna.org/tantalum.htm
http://windsofchange.net/archives/003617.html
http://www.knoxresources.com/specialty_metals.htm
http://www.american.edu/TED/TANTAL.HTM