Blood Minerals Fuel Congo Conflict

Living on Earth

High-tech gadgets like smart phones, mp3 players and laptops don’t just offer constant connectivity and instant entertainment, they also link American consumers to the deadliest conflict in the world. David Sullivan of the Enough Project tells host Jeff Young that the global demand for minerals like gold and tantalum, essential to portable electronics, provides millions of dollars to violent groups competing for control of lucrative mines in the eastern Congo.

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