http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7747692.stm

Digital Planet
Alka Marwaha
BBC World Service

The Democratic Republic of Congo is struggling to recover from a lengthy civil war in which an estimated three million people have died, mostly through starvation and disease.
Since the country gained independence in 1960, its vast mineral wealth has been a key factor in the country's civil wars and instability.

It has huge reserves of gold, cobalt, tantalite and cassiterite all used in the manufacture of consumer electronics.
Illegal trade

"Since this war stared in 1998, we have seen all the main warring parties, the various rebel groups as well as the Congolese security forces involved in widespread plundering and looting of minerals", said Carina Tertsakian from lobby group Global Witness on BBC World Service's Digital Planet programme.

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Tracking ore
Many ideas have been touted to try and identify where mineral components have been sourced.
In March this year, DRC Deputy Mines Minister Victor Kasongo said the government hoped to set up a scheme to certify columbite-tantalite produced within its borders by 2009.

Research on fingerprinting tantalum is currently being carried out by the Federal Institute for Geosciences in Hannover Germany.
"The principle is somewhat inspired by the Kimberley process put in place for diamonds," said Ms Wickens.
"It is really making use of scientific techniques to track the tantalum ore back to its deposit."
Consumer pressure

"The very first thing that we can do as consumers is, if we are buying a mobile phone or a computer, we can ask the retailer where the various components coming from," said Ms Tertsakian.

"Consumers could also write to some of the bigger multi-national companies.

"The more longer term technical measures, such as certification and fingerprinting could be useful but they take a long time to set up," she added.

"In the meantime, the war in Congo is raging and thousands of people displaced from their homes are being raped and killed.
"If buying the right electronics could stop this from getting worse, try and find out where what you buy has come from," added Ms Tertsakian.