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How honesty can cost jobs

Local officials and Western companies argue about new regulations on conflict minerals which they say could worsen economic hardship

Unemployment among artisanal miners is rising as nervous electronics manufacturers, such as Apple and Intel, source fewer imports from them. Many companies are acting on a precautionary basis as guidelines on ‘conflict minerals’ from the United States Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) come into force (AC Vol 52 No 10, Ethical smelting). Yet while mining houses and non-governmental organisations generally agree on the goal of preventing bloodthirsty militias profiting from mineral exports, some are trading insults and questioning each other’s motives....

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Free article preview

How honesty can cost jobs

Local officials and Western companies argue about new regulations on conflict minerals which they say could worsen economic hardship

end of free article preview

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