Mining and the illicit trade in minerals have long been the source of social and environmental upheaval in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and coltan, a mineral essential to modern electronics, has become a particular focus of criminal networks. This study reveals a network of organised crime involved in the production and supply chain of coltan, and its connections to legitimate businesses in advanced economies. It raises awareness of the implications of this illicit trade and suggests multi-stakeholder interventions to prevent criminal networks from operating in the Great Lakes Region.

Key findings • As 5G technology grows, the demand for coltan increases. • Much of the coltan produced by artisanal mining remains unaccounted for due to the government’s inability to access and regulate mines in remote territories. • Coltan smuggling is enabled by state collusion and corrupted networks of social relations. • Coltan smuggling flourishes because of the differences between the prices set in mining areas and those on the black market. • Environmental impact assessments are seldom carried out before exploration for coltan begins. • Sites of historical heritage and indigenous norms are violated by artisanal miners and foreign companies. • Exploitation of children, rape and gender-based violence are common at coltan mining sites...

Strategic minerals mined in the DRC include gold, diamonds, cobalt, zinc and coltan – a term derived from the word ‘columbite-tantalite’ that belongs to a group of geochemical products internationally known as tantalum. Scholars, journalists and activists who have sought to understand and publicise the relationship between the tantalum supply chain and the violent conflict popularised the term ‘coltan’ because it is the name used in the DRC, which, in 2019, produced 40% of the world’s supply...

Industrialised nations like the United States and countries in the Asia Pacific region such as China, Japan and South Korea are the world’s leading consumers of coltan, which is used by major companies such as Apple, Samsung, Sony and other high-end personal computer producers.12 Global coltan production was estimated at about 2.3 kilotons in 2020 and is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of about 6% between 2021 and 2026...