EU Lawmakers Vote on ‘Blood Metals’ Ban

Mining.com reported that the European Parliament has voted in favor of banning all products that contain conflict minerals from war zones in Africa, in an effort to eliminate them from the European supply chain.

As quoted in the market news,

The main objective of the legislation is to ensure that profits from those so-called “blood metals” — tungsten, tin, tantalum and gold — do not go to warlords in countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The lawmakers voted 402 to 118, with 171 abstentions, to make it mandatory for firms that buy such metals to certify their origin. The parliament had been expected to pass a watered down motion that would have made it largely voluntary for companies in Europe to responsibly source the materials from conflict areas.

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