WASHINGTON-The wireless industry may be an unwitting accomplice to mass-scale looting of an African mineral used in mobile-phone capacitors, a situation some believe is prolonging war, causing environmental destruction and contributing to human suffering in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The world’s top mobile-phone manufacturers-Nokia Corp., L.M. Ericsson and Motorola Inc.-are scrambling to limit the potential public-relations fallout from an issue they say totally blindsided them. The three firms last week said they cannot be sure whether or not illegally mined columbite-tantalite-known also as coltan and tantalum-is used in the hundreds of millions of cell phones they’ve sold throughout the world.
Nokia, Ericsson and Motorola, which said they are investigating the matter with suppliers, said they want no part of it.
“We recently became aware of the issue regarding the mining of tantalum in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Motorola deplores the activities alleged against illegal miners in the environmentally protected region of the Congo. We have asked our suppliers to verify and certify in writing that illegally mined African tantalum is not used in the manufacture of electronic components purchased by Motorola. We also fully support the efforts of relevant authorities to protect regions where the environment or wildlife is threatened,” said Motorola in a statement.
While the world has become aware of the gruesome mutilation of children and adults in connection with fighting over diamond mines in Africa, the illegal plundering of coltan in the eastern Congo has suddenly grabbed the attention of governments, environmentalists and religious groups around the world.
According to a new United Nations report and other organizations, the illegal mining of coltan in the Congo is perpetuating a war that has drawn in at least six African nations during the past six years. A UN panel has called for a temporary embargo on the import and export of Congo coltan until illegal mining of it ceases.
The issue has come to the attention of Congress, which already is considering bills to restrict import of illegally mined diamonds from Africa. Congressional staffers said current legislation does not cover coltan. But aides to Reps. Tony Hall (D-Ohio) and Frank Wolf (R-Va.) warned that could change if the U.S. private sector fails to responsibly address the coltan mobile-phone issue.
Coltan itself is not much use to warring factions from the Congo, Rwanda, Angola, Zimbabwe, Uganda and Nambia, but it can be sold for top dollar to multinational mineral companies and suppliers to meet the world’s insatiable appetite for mobile phones. The money from coltan sales buys more arms. It is not unusual for coltan mines to change hands many times, depending on what group happens to be in control at the time. From there, the supply chain gets blurry insofar as business relationships among suppliers and processors of coltan and, ultimately, mobile-phone makers.
“We certainly are aware of the situation and concerns about the mining of tantalum in the Congo,” said William Plummer, vice president for government and industry affairs at Nokia. “We recognize the Congo is one of the sources of tantalum. We’ve got a very sophisticated life-cycle program incorporating essential environmental management goals. We have sent notifications to suppliers to avoid purchasing tantalum from the Congo.”
Moreover, there is evidence that illegal coltan mining is threatening endangered species, like the Gauer gorilla, as well as elephants, monkeys and antelope. Illegal miners hunt and kill the animals to feed themselves during mining of coltan, whose properties-including denseness, high melting point, resistance to corrosion and heat conduction-make it ideal for compact mobile phones. “The elephant population has been virtually wiped out,” Dr. George Schaller, of the Wildlife Conservation Society, told Newsweek.
Coltan reportedly can be found in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Malaysia and Nigeria, but most of the world’s reserves are believed to be buried in the eastern Congo locale of Kivu.
Ericsson, like the other two top mobile-phone manufacturers, said it is trying to get to the bottom of coltan controversy.
“We clearly take this issue very seriously,” said Kathy Egan, an Ericsson spokeswoman. “We’re investigating where the source of our supplies of coltan comes from. We are also looking at phasing out the use of coltan [in mobile-phone capacitors] and replacing it with cheramic condensators.”
Travis Larson, a spokesman for the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association, referred questions about the use of coltan in mobile phones to equipment manufacturers.
The Telecommunications Industry Association said it was unaware of the coltan concerns, when contacted by RCR.
