Strict rules for ‘conflict minerals’

Companies responsible for transporting by road and rail minerals from conflict zones in Africa and elsewhere will be forced by far-reaching legislation based on the experiences gained from boycotting “conflict diamonds” to track and trace the minerals along the entire value chain. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act is “upping the ante” for supply chain transparency, according to a recent KPMG LLP publication. It points out that Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Act directs the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to enact reporting requirements for companies that use certain minerals from the DRC.