The International Tin Supply Chain Initiative (ITSCI) has urged the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) to provide clarity on its recognition process. This follows RMI’s recent announcement to pause the process for at least one year. ITSCI helps companies with due diligence and raw material traceability for 3T conflict minerals — tungsten, tin, and tantalum — in central Africa, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda. Meanwhile, RMI collaborates with downstream smelters to ensure materials are sourced from conflict-free areas via its Responsible Minerals Assurance Programme.
Since 2022, the two organizations have been in conflict over RMI’s recognition of ITSCI as an approved upstream due diligence system for RMAP assessments. On July 5, RMI paused the recognition process, citing ITSCI’s failure to meet terms and address questions about its response to escalating conflict in the DRC.
ITSCI responded by stating that RMI’s focus on ITSCI not meeting “terms” overlooks the need for RMI’s recognition process to be clarified and updated, a need RMI now acknowledges. ITSCI also pointed out that RMI’s latest statement introduced new recognition factors, undermining previous efforts to understand RMI’s requirements.
Reiterating its alignment with OECD requirements for upstream due diligence programs, ITSCI emphasized that the OECD does not mandate field visits to every location, though RMI had previously insisted on such visits as part of its recognition process.
Regarding the DRC conflict, ITSCI acknowledged increased risks but highlighted its active monitoring, suspension of operations when necessary, and collaboration with independent local organizations to verify field information. ITSCI maintained that, regardless of RMI recognition, the information it gathers remains valuable for downstream companies’ due diligence efforts.
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