Increasing international attention concerning the extraction, processing, and use of “Conflict Minerals” originating from mining operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and adjoining countries prompted the United States Congress to enact the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which requires publicly traded companies utilizing conflict minerals in their products to disclose the source of such minerals. The legislation was enacted in an effort to dissuade companies from continuing to engage in mineral trade, which directly or indirectly supports regional conflicts.
