SOUTH KIVU, DRC -- The first deposits from a mine dedicated to conflict-free tin mining have been brought from the ground, says an NGO dedicated to ensuring a steady and safe supply of the ore.

"After years of exclusion from international trade and the resulting mass unemployment among miners the The Conflict-Free Tin Initiative has allowed one of the mines in South Kivu to restart operations. This first bag of conflict-free tin brings us one step closer to new prospects for a conflict-ridden region with many wrongs to make right," the group said of the cassiterite mine here.

The initiative uses the ITRI Tin Supply Chain Initiative (iTSCi) Program to carry out due diligence on a variety of involved supply chain actors, as well as to provide traceability of the minerals themselves, and ITRI is extremely pleased and proud to be able to contribute to the return of business opportunities and trade to eastern DRC.

Kay Nimmo, manager of Sustainability at ITRI, said, "Although this is just one mine in South Kivu, the return of the Program to the Province is an extremely significant event which we hope can lead on to further expansion and a better future for local communities. There are also many other mines both nearby, and in Maniema Province of the DRC, that are conflict-free and can hopefully soon benefit from similar commitment from supporting stakeholders."

The Dutch government and certain major OEMs including Philips have led the push to support the CFTI, which relies on extensive due diligence to ensure the supply chain remains free of "conflict" minerals, referred to because they were mined by forced labor to be used to support the ongoing domestic war.

Ed.: Read why AIM decided to join the CFTI here.