- link Copy Url - [ Share on twitter ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Blood Diamonds of Ore: GE Takes On Conflict Minerals https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/31211?absolute=1&via=3blnews "link to 3 B L Media's Twitter") - [ Share on linkedin ](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/31211?absolute=1 "link to 3 B L Media's Linkedin") - [ Share on facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/31211?absolute=1 "link to 3 B L Media's Facebook") - [ email Share via email ](mailto:?subject=Blood Diamonds of Ore: GE Takes On Conflict Minerals &body=ESG News from General Electric (GE) https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/31211?absolute=1 "Share via email") [Social Impact & Volunteering](/CSR-News/social-impact-volunteering) # Blood Diamonds of Ore: GE Takes On Conflict Minerals Oct 19, 2012 12:00 PM ET ![](https://3blaws.s3.amazonaws.com/styles/carousel_2x/s3/images/Wolframite_MiningB.jpg "Wolframite Mining in the DRC’s Kailo Province: Wolframite rocks are the source of tungsten, a rare hard metal used in light bulb filaments, machine tools, and catalysts in coal-fired power plants.") Wolframite Mining in the DRC’s Kailo Province: Wolframite rocks are the source of tungsten, a rare hard metal used in light bulb filaments, machine tools, and catalysts in coal-fired power plants. [Blood Diamonds of Ore: GE Takes On Conflict Minerals](http://www.rdmag.com/news/2012/09/blood-diamonds-ore-ge-takes-conflict-minerals) The Democratic Republic of Congo is Africa’s second largest country, but also the continent’s most violent. Over the last two decades, foreign and domestic armies, militias and gangs of armed thugs have been waging war and staging rebellions that have killed at least 5.5 million people and displaced many more. The fighters sustain their troops with money from the DRC’s rich mineral deposits. Observers estimate that armed groups control half of the tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold mines in the vast eastern part of the country and generate as much as $225 million annually from the mineral quarries. “They may own the mines in the conflict region, or tax the mines or tax the trade routes used to export the minerals,” says Sandy Merber, counsel for international trade regulation and sourcing at GE. Because manufacturers around the world use these minerals in everything from digital cameras and cell phones to paint and golf clubs, NGOs seeking to cut off the funding have pushed companies to audit their supply chains to reduce the risk that the minerals they are using may support the conflict. In August, the [U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission](http://www.sec.gov/news/press/2012/2012-163.htm) announced a new reporting rule that requires listed companies to “publicly disclose their use of [conflict minerals](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflict_minerals) that originated in [the DRC](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo) or an adjoining country.” GE, through its [citizenship](http://www.gecitizenship.com/blog/features/conflict-minerals/) initiatives, has been working with companies, NGOs, investors as well as government agencies to foster a system that supports cutting out conflict minerals from the supply chain and improves reporting. **[Read more about how GE is taking on conflict minerals at RD Mag](http://www.rdmag.com/news/2012/09/blood-diamonds-ore-ge-takes-conflict-minerals).** \*This article originally appeared in RD Mag [![](/sites/default/files/Clients/general%2Belectric%2Blogo.gif)](/profiles/general-electric-ge) ### More from General Electric (GE) ###### [GE Africa and Jeff Immelt Recognized at Ai Investment & Business Leader Awards 2014](/news/ge-africa-and-jeff-immelt-recognized-ai-investment-business-leader-awards-2014) Oct 23, 2014 3:30 PM ET ###### [Lighting Up Baja: A Deadly Hurricane Knocked Cabo Hard, But Recovery Crews Didn’t Stay Down for the Count](/news/lighting-baja-deadly-hurricane-knocked-cabo-hard-recovery-crews-didnt-stay-down-count) Oct 23, 2014 10:00 AM ET ###### [GE Shortlisted for Responsible Business Award](/news/ge-shortlisted-responsible-business-award) Oct 8, 2014 3:30 PM ET ###### [GE Releases 2013 Progress Against Sustainability Commitments](/news/ge-releases-2013-progress-against-sustainability-commitments) Jun 30, 2014 8:30 PM ET ###### [ General Electric and Ashoka Changemakers Award $75K to Innovators Advancing Economic Equality for Women in the Middle East and North Africa](/news/general-electric-and-ashoka-changemakers-award-75k-innovators-advancing-economic-equality) Jan 22, 2014 4:00 PM ET ###### [ The Civic 50: Creating a Framework for Real Shared Value](/news/civic-50-creating-framework-real-shared-value) Jan 17, 2014 3:00 PM ET ###### [ A Women’s World: About Virtual Offices and Gender Gyms](/news/womens-world-about-virtual-offices-and-gender-gyms) Jan 8, 2014 11:45 AM ET ###### [MENAT: Business and Human Rights, Gender, and Migration Challenges](/news/menat-business-and-human-rights-gender-and-migration-challenges) Dec 11, 2013 1:00 PM ET