IntroductionThe role of minerals as fuel in armed conflicts in poor countries has long been debated. On the contrary, to date, political initiatives aimed at eradicating such clashes have not achieved any noteworthy progress. This work addresses the specific case of deadly conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the strategic position of a specific mineral commodity (coltan) in that context. It begins with a brief description of the mineral resource itself and its supply chain. Furthermore, it provides a brief overview of the recent historical context of political instability in the DRC and the conditions under which coltan extraction occurs. Next, a brief assessment of current environmental problems is presented. Finally, this work describes and evaluates the political decisions implemented to solve this long-standing problem. Coltan and Tantalum Supply ChainColtan is a coined short term for columbite-tantalite, a tantalum-containing mineral. Tantalum has a wide range of applications. However, it is particularly well known because it is a key material for the development of communication technologies (Espinoza, 2012). Understanding the different stages that make up the tantalum supply chain is important to enable us to trace the materials back to the source of supply (HCSS, 2013). According to Dorner et al. (2012), tantalum mining in the DRC is mostly artisanal and small-scale, operated by individuals, families or worker cooperatives, with little or no mechanization, often informally or illegally. Artisanal mining relies on extensive use of labor and workers are paid a fixed percentage of production (HCSS, 2013). After being mined, the tantalum minerals are concentrated... in the center of the paper... Technical studies. (HCSS Report; no. 05/21/2013). Retrieved from www.hcss.nl/reports/download/125/1763/Spittaels, S., Hilgert, F. (2009). Are Congo's mines the main target of armed groups on its territory? Economics of Peace and Security Journal, 4(1), January 2009, 55-61. Retrieved from http://econpapers.repec.org/article/uwejournl/v_3a4_3ay_3a2009_3ai_3a1_3ap_3a55-61.htmTegera, A., Sofia, M., Johnson, D (2002). The Coltan Phenomenon: How a Rare Mineral Changed the Lives of People in the War-Devastated North Kivu Province of the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Polo Institute. Retrieved from http://www.kongo-kinshasa.de/dokumente/ngo/polinst_coltan.pdf.Weiss, H., Carayannis, T. (2004) Reconstructing the Congo. Journal of International Affairs, 58(1), Fall 2004, 115-141. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/docview/220702588