Democratic Republic of Congo; The curse of Coltan
The untapped mineral wealth of The Democratic Republic of
Congo is estimated at $24 trillion, equivalent to the GDP
of Europe and USA combined; it makes DRCongo potentially
the richest country in the world,' New African observes.
It is the extraction and trade in part of this 'mineral
wealth...which is [then] readily smuggled that continues to
fuel the conflict that has devastated the country and the
lives of its people.'
One of these highly priced minerals is Colombo-tantalite,
commonly called coltan.When crushed; it forms a heat
resistant powder capable of holding very high levels of
electric charge. It is thus used as a heat resistor and in
power storing units of many electronic devices--mobile
phones, laptops, spacecraft and thousands more. Its use has
made it possible the reduction in size of many electronic
devices as well as today's advanced wireless technology
New African writes that among other minerals, coltan's
'multi-million dollar trade has served to brutally
destabilize eastern Congo, and fuel the ongoing conflict in
which an estimated 5 million deaths have occurred since
1996.'
DRCongo has relied heavily on the support of a UN peace
keeping contingent to maintain order and to put a check to
the 'illegal exploitation of natural resources [which]
continues to fuel internal conflict.' But lately, New
African reports that this contingent has been accused of
complicity with rebel groups and other kinds of illegality
and malpractice. Now the Congolese government has requested
its withdrawal, by June 2011. Could this lead to a
resurgence of the insurgency?