FAQs address issues pertaining to the scope and
application of the conflict minerals reporting
requirement.
On May 30, the staff of the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) issued interpretive guidance on the SEC's
conflict minerals rule. The rule, which was adopted in August 2012,
applies to reporting companies that use conflict minerals in a
manner that is necessary to the functionality or production of a
product that is manufactured or contracted to be manufactured by
such companies. Generally, the term "conflict minerals"
refers to tin, tantalum, tungsten, gold, and any other minerals or
derivatives that the Secretary of State identifies as financing
conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or an adjoining
country (collectively, the DRC). The SEC staff's FAQs address
issues pertaining to the scope and application of the conflict
minerals reporting requirement.1
