Coltan and Conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Abstract

Coltan is a vital mineral found in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and its substrate, tantalum, is used for its rechargeable qualities in cell phones and electric batteries. It is important to stress the crucial role coltan plays in manufacturing cell phones, electric vehicles, and batteries. Such attention to coltan's importance emphasizes how much this valuable mineral shapes the future. Although the value and demand for coltan have increased at an insurmountable rate in the past decade, the Congo remains one of the poorest nations in the world. By examining the costs of coltan mining in the Congo and comparing it to the vast wealth coltan makes for multinational corporations, we can see how corporate greed and government corruption prevent the Congo from thriving economically. This paper seeks to open the public's eyes to labor issues and conflict caused by coltan mining in eastern DRC. A country's vast amount of natural resources implies revenue and wealth, but that is not the case for DRC. Some nations with rich natural resources, such as coltan and diamonds, are among the poorest. These countries are so profoundly impoverished because of conflicts, wars, government mismanagement and corruption, corporate greed, and unethical choices. I will examine the paradox of impoverishment in nations with abundant resources and potential wealth, focusing on the role of large Western corporations in the exploitation of natural resources in the Democratic Republic of Congo.