Global Witness Report Links Conflict Coltan from Congo to Major Tech Supply Chains
A report by Global Witness has revealed that coltan, a mineral essential for electronics, smuggled from mines controlled by the M23 armed group in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has infiltrated the supply chains of major technology and automotive companies. The investigation, covering 2023 to September 2025, found that five of Rwanda's seven largest coltan exporters sourced material from the Rubaya mining area in North Kivu, under M23 control. This coltan is believed to have reached companies like Sony, Microsoft, Amazon, LG Display, Ericsson, Toyota, Nvidia, and Vodafone. The report criticizes the effectiveness of current mineral traceability and due diligence programs, such as the ITSCI traceability system and the Responsible Minerals Initiative, in preventing conflict minerals from entering global markets. 
