The SEC’s Conflict Minerals Rule

In 2010, Congress enacted the Dodd-Frank ​“Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act,” Section 1502 of which requires manufacturers regulated by the SEC to report if their products contain metals derived from specified ​“conflict minerals.” These minerals, tin, tantalum, gold, or tungsten, are commonly mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The proposed Rule, which should be implemented by the end of the year, aims to reduce the violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo and surrounding areas by shrinking the market for minerals originating from mines controlled by armed groups.

This article discusses the research and reporting that the proposed rule will require of companies and how it may impact operations.