Conflict Minerals 101: Tin, Tungsten, Tantalum, and Gold

One of the most common questions asked about Conflict Minerals is: What are the 3TG (tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold) conflict minerals used for? Source Intelligence is a leading provider of conflict minerals compliance programs, protecting customers’ interests with private industry’s largest registry of suppliers, a platform to manage and connect business partners, and a portfolio of compliance programs for all regulated materials. Their research is regularly updated to provide information about the origins and uses of Conflict Minerals.    Uses for 3TG Conflict Minerals  

Tin	Tantalum	Tungsten	Gold
Often used to coat other metals to prevent their corrosion and to create alloys.	Stores electricity and is used in alloys for its strength.	Commonly used in tools, cell phones, and high-temperature situations, also used in alloys for its strength.	Malleable, not highly corrosive, and highly conducive to electricity and heat.
Electronics Batteries Anodes Wire and cable coating Resistors Dielectrics Alloys Bronze Solder Pewter Containers Packaging Paint, oil, polish, cleaners Gas tanks Home and Auto Roofing Water purifiers Etc	Electronics  Portable electronics High speed processing Capacitors and resistors Wire LED lights Camera Lenses Fountain and ballpoint pen points Lab Equeptment Communications systems Alloys Galvanized, hardened, heavey duty, tempered or heat-treated steel Etc	Lighting Filaments Halogen tungsten lamps Fluresent light bulbs Television tubes Tools Welding tools Drills High-speed cutting tools Hardware Wires Electrodes High temperature lubricants Megnetrons for microwave ovens Jewelry Automatic Watches Joints Etc	Electronics Connectors Swich and relay contacts Soldered joints Connecting wires Wire Cell phones Calculators GPS devices Computers Televisions Edge connectors Glass Ruby colored glass Ect

  Derivatives of Conflict Minerals    Another common question asked about Conflict Minerals is: What materials are derived from 3TG conflict minerals, and what is their use?    Relevant Derivatives of 3TG Conflict Minerals  

Conflict Mineral	Derivative Metal	Trade
Tin	Cassiterite	Tin Cassiterite Tetrabutyltin starting material for the di- and tributyl compounds.   Tributyltin oxide, a colorless to pale yellow liquid used in wood preservation.   Triphenyltin acetate, an off-white crystalline solid, used as an insecticide and a fungicide.   Triphenyltin chloride, a white crystalline solid, used as a biocide and an intermediate in chemical synthesis.   Trimethyltin chloride also a biocide.   Triphenyltin hydroxide, an off-white powder, used as a fungicide and to sterilize insects.   Azocyclotin, a colorless crystalline solid, used as a long-acting acaricide for control of spider mites on plants.   Cyhexatin, a white crystalline solid, used as an acaricide and miticide.   Hexamethylditin used as an intermediate in chemical synthesis.
Tantalum	Tantalum Columbite	Tantalum Columbite-tantalite Tantalum oxide is employed in making optical glass and has piezoelectric, maser, and laser applications.   Tantalum alcoholate is used as a catalyst, intermediate for pure tantalates, preparing thin dielectric films.    Tantalum carbide is used in cutting tools and dies, cemented carbide tools.    Tantalum(V) chloride is used in chlorination of organic substances, intermediate, production of pure metal.   Tantalum fluoride is used as a catalyst in organic reactions.    Tantalum disulfide is used as a solid lubricant.    Tantalum carbide is used as an abrasive.    Tantalum salts is used in paint and dye industry, in glass and ceramic industry.    Tantalum oxide is used to make special glass with high index of refraction for camera lenses.
Tungsten	Wolframite	Tungsten Wolframite Tungsten Carbide is used in metalworking, mining, cutting tools bits, heat- and erosion-resistant parts, coatings, seal rings and petroleum.   Calcium and magnesium tungstates are widely used in fluorescent lighting.   Tungsten salts are used in tanning industries.   Tungsten disulphide is used as a dry high temperature lubricant (stable to 500°C).   Tungsten bronzes and other compounds are used as pigments for paints.
Gold	Gold	Gold Gold Potassium dicyanoaurate, K[Au(CN)2], used in gold electroplating baths.   Chloroauric acid, HAuCl4, used as an intermediate in the production of other gold compounds and occasionally for colouring ceramics.    Gold salts are also used as anti-inflammatory drugs in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.