Definition
3TG refers to tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold, the mineral group at the center of the main conflict-minerals disclosure and due-diligence regimes. In DRC supply-chain analysis, the term usually refers to cassiterite-to-tin, coltan-to-tantalum, wolframite-to-tungsten, and gold flows that may originate in, transit through, or be traded from conflict-affected and high-risk areas.
The term is a compliance shorthand, not a finding that a shipment is conflict-linked. It tells buyers to test origin, route, custody, smelter or refiner identity, beneficial ownership, and red flags before relying on a supplier representation.
Corridor Context
The Lobito Corridor is primarily a copper and cobalt route, so 3TG is not the main volume story. Its importance is institutional. The due-diligence infrastructure built around 3TG has shaped how lenders, traders, smelters, and downstream manufacturers assess all DRC-linked minerals, including cobalt.
Legal Status
Under the principal US and EU conflict-minerals frameworks, 3TG is the covered mineral group. Copper and cobalt should not be described as 3TG minerals. They may still require enhanced responsible-sourcing review when a buyer, lender, or standard applies OECD-style risk management to minerals from conflict-affected or high-risk areas.
Buyer Due Diligence
A practical 3TG file normally includes supplier mapping, country-of-origin inquiry, smelter or refiner identification, chain-of-custody evidence, sanctions and beneficial-ownership screening, red-flag review, and public reporting where the applicable regime requires it. For corridor users, the key distinction is direct legal coverage for 3TG versus broader market expectations for copper and cobalt.
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.