What U.S. law requires companies to disclose use of conflict minerals from the DRC?

The U.S. law requiring covered companies to disclose their use of conflict minerals from the DRC is Dodd-Frank Act Section 1502.

Enacted in 2010, Section 1502 addressed concerns that mineral extraction and trade in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and adjoining countries could finance armed groups. The provision covers four minerals commonly called 3TG: tantalum, tin, tungsten, and gold. Certain companies reporting to the Securities and Exchange Commission must investigate their supply chains and publicly report relevant country-of-origin findings when those minerals are necessary to a product’s functionality or production.

The rule is often oversimplified as applying to every company or as banning DRC minerals outright. It does neither. The requirement is primarily a transparency and due-diligence measure, intended to help investors and consumers understand sourcing risks.

The SEC adopted implementing rules, and litigation later affected parts of the disclosure framework. A 2014 federal appeals court decision struck down compelled wording that companies state whether products were “not been found to be DRC conflict free,” while other reporting obligations remained. The law itself is still commonly identified by its section number.