On Aug. 22, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) voted to adopt a final rule regarding disclosure and reporting obligations with respect to the use of so-called “conflict minerals” (tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold, commonly referred to as “3TG”) under Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the Act).
Publicly traded companies in a variety of industries— electronics, aerospace, automotive, industrial machinery, healthcare devices, jewelry, diversified industrials and consumer goods—that use conflict minerals in their products or manufacturing processes face a new specialized disclosure requirement as a result of Section 1502 of the Act.