Colombia’s black-market coltan tied to drug traffickers, paramilitaries

By Ignacio Gómez G.

Illicit mining in hot spot of Colombia’s Amazon tied to paramilitaries, drug traffickers

Excerpts from this story referencing "Ore":

"… Orero’s mine near the Guaviare River and Puinawai Natural National Park. Ore from outside the national park is legal if a miner has a permit.On Sept. 1 …"

Venezuela emerges as new source of ‘conflict’ minerals

By Emilia Diaz-Struck and Joseph Poliszuk

Venezuelan black-market mineral likely making its way to everything from smart phones to smart bombs