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Conflict minerals: The dark side of your smartphone | Buying a new smartphone can come at a cost far beyond your money, but there are things you can do.

The cost of the conflict minerals in your phone is often more than just money. Find out the dark story behind these resources.

In regions like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), armed groups control mining operations, subjecting workers to extreme violence, forced labor, and inhumane conditions. The issue is that no OEM wants to cede ground in the ongoing race to stay at the forefront of smartphone technology, and these minerals are indispensable in making phone components smaller, faster, and more efficient. For example, the US introduced the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act in 2010, with Section 1502 requiring publicly traded companies to disclose whether the 3TG minerals in their products may have originated from conflict zones.

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