Columbite–tantalite or coltan is a mineral which has become of great importance to the world because of its properties have been used in our mobile phones, computers, blades in aircraft engines, land-based gas turbines, mill products for sputtering targets and chemicals for audio and video. This has raised the prize of the black mineral and has created a profitable business where the tantalite is found in countries such as The Democratic Republic of Congo where the precious rock is found in the surface
Coltan is a tantalum-bearing ore that is very rare, valuable and highly sought all over the world (Hayes & Burge 2003: 11). Tantalum has double the density of steel and is extremely resistant to heat and corrosion (Hayes & Burge 2003: 11). In the majority of high-tech electronics such as computers, mobile phones, and game consoles, it is used as capacitors or super-alloys to conduct electric charges in these electronic equipments (Bleischwitz et al. 2012: 20). Almost a decade ago, Australia was the
Blue” directed by Micha X. Peled and “Blood Coltan” directed by Patrick Forestrie; both documentaries have conveyed a message on how inequality has effected people’s jobs and lives. “China Blue” is a documentary about a 15-year-old girl who has just started working in a jeans factory, while “Blood Coltan” is a documentary about a film crew who explore the Coltan mines of Congo. The future of work illustrated in the films “China Blue” and “Blood Coltan” shows us that their is an increase in inequality
story Salima is told by a man who bought her. In this he tells of a man who stuffed”...the coltan into his mouth to keep the soldiers from stealing his hard work, and they split his belly open with a machete”(31). Not only does this story show the harsh conditions the men are exposed to in war, but also it further demonstrates the hold coltan has on the minds of those who live in the Congo. The want for coltan leads to the destruction of the community and individual identities of those involved as
All over the globe in first world countries almost everyone is talking, texting, typing, or taking pictures with modern technology. Many people wear diamonds or other precious gems around their necks, wrists, or on their hands. Where does the world get the resources to have all of this, and how? The answer is found in the hands of slaves crouched deep within the mines of some of the poorest countries in the world. Countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and many others
from Congo. Issues such as child labour, civilian deaths a fall out from the continued finance of an illicit war in Congo. According to the findings, Congo supplies 80% of the world coltan and also provides the cheapest coltan in the world. This is perhaps the main reason why foreign companies desire to purchase coltan from Congo as spells more profit (Utilitarianism) for Western based shareholders but translates in more death in Congo in Africa. This rising civilian deaths (5.4 million) also means
are French and Kingwana (a blend of Kiswahili or Swahili). Product Description A mineral that the Democratic Republic of Congo has vast wealth in is Columbite – tantalite, which is commonly referred to as coltan. Coltan is mined for the use in electronic devices. Some of these devices that coltan can be found in include: cellular phones, computers, jet engines, missiles, ships, and weapon systems. This mineral has an impact on our daily liv... ... middle of paper ... ...e top 100 expensive countries
Marxism is a principle based approach to International Relations. This essay looks at the core principles of Marxism and the popular theories that have stemmed from Karl Marx’s initial ideas. By gaining a thorough understanding of Marxism and Neo-Marxism it will then be easier to critically evaluate how useful the two approaches are. The analysis of the 2008 Financial Crisis and the Democratic Republic of Congo shows how Marxism can still be considered relevant today. In order to critically evaluate
responses to the Schoology Dropbox by Sunday 2/28. Documentary Questions: Give a general overview of the documentary. The Congo has become a source of foreign interference as many western companies buy minerals from the country such as coltan, cassiterite, gold, and tourmaline. Many of the mines are owned by corrupt members of the Kinshasa government. These officials take most of the profit that is earned from selling the minerals and do not try to help the Congolese people. Villagers
rebel soldiers are no better, they killed fifteen Hema men in order to steel coltan from their own mining pit. One of the Hema men stuffed coltan into his mouth to prevent the rebels from stealing it, needless to say they split his belly open with a machete. (31) So as you can see, Kisembe was also no one to be trusted. At the same time that this is going on, the Congo is being ripped off of its natural resources. Coltan is very abundant in the Congo and highly in demand. Forests fauna and flora
done with these products they still have untapped potential for the people of the Congo. Despite the benefits received from these products the health and environmental issues far outweigh the benefits. In the article on Coltan it is discussed how due to 80% of the world's coltan reserves being in the Congo many Congolese workers are employed as miners. This shows the totality of globalization and how it is implemented from resources to the trash of northern
Many natural resources that inhabit are gold, diamonds, uranium, oil, copper, tin, coal, and coltan. Coltan is one of the most wanted resources in Africa, especially the Congo because it creates electronics that are widely used around the world. This is an issue because it is exploiting the land of the Congo and other countries that do no have coltan as a natural resource are believed to be smuggling it out of the country and making a profit on it. This is a serious problem
A critical evaluation of the Competition between Samsung and Apple Samsung and Apple are among the largest manufacturers and suppliers of smartphones in the current global market. Arguably, the need to produce an advanced cellphone that could do much more than just make or receive a phone call motivated the two companies to improve their products. The progress turned into two almost similar products that could offer the same service as the computer. Apple invented its technology back in 2007 and
return are horrid, will not stop the consumer from doing exactly that, consuming. Personally, I loathed learning of the people of the Congo being taken advantage of by the armed groups that control the mines (Martin Lecture 9/9), making them mine the coltan so the groups can reap the fruits of the miner’s labor. But this is the connection between myself/consumers of the “richer” zones of our world economy and those who live in the poorer regions, and this connection only grows
Congo, because the government lacks the power to stop the violence and protect its citizens. This violence is due to Said due to agian the fact that the DRC is one of the richest countries, overflowing with natural resources; some of which, including coltan and tantalumexplain what this is are widely used in electronics. People and groups invade the Democratic Republic of the Congo to illegally mine their natural resources, that they can sell at high prices to the more technologically advanced world
EXAMPLES Positive Externalities: 1. Grameen-Danone Foods Limited (GDFL) is a joint venture between Grameen Bank and Groupe Danone to fight malnutrition in Bangladesh, which provides its underprivileged and malnourished citizens with affordable, nutrient enriched yogurt to help combat this social calamity. By providing this essential sustenance at an exceptionally affordable price to the Bangladeshi people, they are essentially giving them health. Accordingly, this project is not only contributing
Anna Nagar: The Most Expensive Residential Area in Chennai Anna Nagar, formerly known as Naduvakkarai is located on the north-western part of Chennai and forms part of Egmore-Nugambakkam taluk. It is named after the Tamil leader C.N Annadurai and is regarded as the one of the prime residential areas of Chennai. It is a planned locality developed by the Tamilnadu Housing Board in the early 1970’s. While developing the plan, lands were allotted to developer residential plots, complexes, wide roads
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has had a long history of bloody conflict, civil war, and western exploitation dating back to 1885 when King Leopold II of Belgium brutally exploited the country for rubber. Agents of King Leopold II would storm a village, hold the women hostage until the men reached a quota of rubber. When the men left in search of the material, often for days or weeks, dying of exhaustion in the process, the women were raped and starved (Adam Hochschild, 161). Since that
exist in people’s mind but the term ‘slave’ can be interpreted differently in different languages. Dr Bales suggests that slavery has been ‘packaged’ differently at different points... ... middle of paper ... ...tors that are made with Coltan. 64% of Coltan reserves are located in Congo where child labourers work for endless tiring hours. The chocolates and coffee that you enjoy are brought to your table by estimated 200,000 child slaves working in Ivory Coast alone, harvesting 40% of the world's
In society today it is very rare to find someone who does not own a cell phone. There are ten year old children running around with iPhones. Cell phones have become such an important part of society. They have come along way with the advancements made in technology to allow these phones to do more than you would think possible. We now not only use them to contact people, but use them for social media, to take pictures, surf the web, and get information at the touch of our fingers. It is crazy to