We’ve mentioned before how tantalum in particular is a metal whose deposits are primarily located in the Congo; a country rife with lawlessness and all manner of ensuing human tragedy. The world’s intense demand for this key resource fuels unending rounds of regional conflict as the strongest henchmen vie for control over the open pit mining that yields the clays rich in tantalum.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom. You can buy tantalum guilt free. Australia, Brazil and China are also major producers for tantalum. Even within Africa itself tantalum ore is mined in large quantities in relatively stable countries like Rwanda, Ethiopia and Nigeria.