US companies must disclose ties to rebel mines in Congo

Deep within the 2,300 page legislation on financial reform that President Obama signed into law last week is a provision that pertains to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The new financial regulation law will require thousands of U.S. companies to disclose whether their products contain minerals from rebel-controlled mines in Congo. Many of these minerals, like tin, tungsten, gold and tantalum end up in our laptops, cell phones and other technologies; and these mines are helping to finance the ongoing conflict in Congo.

World affairs correspondent for the BBC, Adam Mynott, details how these mines affect the country and whether it’s really possible to track down the links between American companies and the rebel-mines.