The conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world today.  Violence between numerous rebel groups and involving surrounding countries has led to the death of 5.4 million people since 1998 in the Congo and is responsible for the death of about 45,000 people a month, making it the most deadly conflict in the world since WWII.  The conflict in the Congo can be traced, in part, to the country’s wealth in coltan, a situation similar to the blood diamonds in Sierra Leone. 

Coltan is a metallic ore from which the metal tantalum is extracted and used in electronic devices we use daily, namely cell phones and laptops.  80% of the world’s coltan is found in the Congo and over the last few decades the world has become more dependent on it.  Lessening the demand for coltan should have a significant effect on the conflict.

This project will create a nonprofit corporation that will subcontract with major cell phone and computer companies to collect old devices used by their consumers.  All parts of the electronic devices will either be recycled or reused.  The tantalum in the devices will be recycled and distributed back to the manufacturers for reuse.  By reusing the tantalum to produce new devices, the demand for coltan will decrease and will help stop the humanitarian crisis in the Congo.  A new market would also evolve allowing consumers to buy products without the moral complication involved with coltan products.