Definition
Section 1502 of the US Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act (2010) is the statutory basis for the SEC conflict-minerals disclosure rule. It focuses on whether covered companies use tin, tantalum, tungsten, or gold that are necessary to the functionality or production of their products and may have originated in the DRC or adjoining countries.
The rule is a disclosure and due-diligence framework, not a general ban on DRC minerals. Its practical effect is to make origin inquiry, supplier evidence, and reporting discipline central to how US-listed issuers and their suppliers manage 3TG exposure.
Corridor Context
Dodd-Frank 1502 is not a cobalt or copper rule, but it matters to the corridor because it created the compliance language now used across DRC mineral trade: country-of-origin inquiry, smelter due diligence, red flags, chain-of-custody evidence, and public disclosure. Buyers applying that discipline to cobalt are usually responding to responsible-sourcing expectations rather than to Section 1502's mineral scope.
Legal Status
For corridor readers, the legal distinction is important. Section 1502 covers 3TG, not the copper and cobalt that dominate Lobito freight. A company may still request cobalt or copper traceability because of OECD guidance, customer policy, lender safeguards, battery rules, or human-rights due diligence expectations, but that should not be conflated with a Section 1502 filing trigger.
What to Monitor
Monitor whether corridor-connected suppliers can separate 3TG compliance claims from broader responsible-sourcing claims. Strong files identify the applicable mineral, the relevant legal regime, the origin and custody evidence, and any mitigation steps. Weak files use generic "conflict-free" language without explaining scope, geography, smelter or refiner coverage, or the standard used.
Related Terms
Return to the full glossary for additional terms and definitions related to the Lobito Corridor.
Source Pack
This page is maintained against primary sources, institutional disclosures, and recognized standards rather than anonymous aggregation. The links below are the baseline references used for periodic verification of facts, terminology, risk framing, and corridor relevance.
- ILO GALAB project in DRC cobalt mining
- OECD responsible mineral supply chains
- IFC Performance Standards
- Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights
- World Bank - Angola
- World Bank - DRC
- World Bank - Zambia
- EITI - DRC
- EITI - Zambia
Editorial use: figures and operational claims are treated as directional until supported by primary disclosure, public filings, official datasets, or a documented field record. Where source material conflicts, this site prioritizes official data, audited reporting, and independently verifiable standards.
Editorial Note
This glossary entry is designed as a concise research gateway, not as a closed encyclopedia article. Its editorial job is to define the subject, explain why it matters to the Lobito Corridor, and route readers toward deeper profiles, datasets, and primary sources. Updates are made when new public data, official disclosures, regulatory changes, or field monitoring materially alter the corridor assessment.
For institutional users, the page should be read as an index layer: it helps locate the relevant company, mine, community, regulation, commodity, or infrastructure file before moving into article-length analysis. Claims that affect investment, human-rights, ESG, or public-policy interpretation should be checked against the linked source pack and the underlying corridor database before being reused externally.
Where This Fits
This page belongs to the Lobito Corridor institutional research graph. Use the links below to verify route context, financing, mineral exposure, and strategic relevance before treating this page as a standalone source.