'Blood Minerals' in DR Congo - Myth or Reality?

Jan 14, 2026 | Alex Mvuka Ntung
View Original

“Blood minerals” in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) commonly refer to tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold (3TG). A widely promoted narrative, advanced by several advocacy and pressure groups, holds that these minerals are extracted in conflict-affected areas of eastern DR Congo. It is frequently asserted that 3TG mining finances armed groups and fuels violence, while at the same time being essential to the production of modern electronic devices such as smartphones and laptops.

In early 2025, Kinshasa accused Apple of using illegally mined minerals sourced from Congolese mines. The Congolese government has consistently relied on such narratives to argue that conflict in the country’s eastern region is primarily driven by mineral looting by Rwanda. However, there is a lack of rigorous, independent analysis to substantiate these claims.