"blood tantalum"

The thorny question of DRC "conflict tantalum" or "blood tantalum" continues to rage, with increased intensity. 

DRC militias and genocide war criminals use the many millions of dollars generated from blood tantalum sales to fund their subversive operations.  Recent investigations by NGOs would suggest that the corruption is not limited to the DRC and that international organised crime is also involved in the revenue stream, a problem which now appears to have attracted the attention of various government agencies in North America and Europe. 

International NGOs and an increasing number of electronics majors are openly condemning the use of DRC blood tantalum feedstock, refusing to incorporate the material in the specialised electronic circuitry of their laptops, cellphones, videos and other sophisticated electronic equipment.

Whilst the DRC and blood tantalum continues to dominate the airwaves, it is noteworthy that the DRC provides only a small portion (less than 20%) of global tantalum feedstock requirements.

Gippsland's 142.5 million tonne Abu Dabbab - Nuweibi tantalum-tin project contains significantly greater tantalum resources than that found in the Kivu North and Kivu South regions of the eastern DRC.  The Abu Dabbab - Nuweibi tantalum-tin project has the resource base to provide a major portion of the global tantalum requirements for several decades.