So there’s great news on the “Conflict Minerals” front! Intel has the following goals (a quote from their SEC filing report):

Intel’s goal for 2012 is to verify that the tantalum we use in our microprocessors is conflict-free, and our goal for 2013 is to manufacture the world’s first verified, conflict-free microprocessor.

Here’s some more info about their goal:

1. Video
2. Blog Post
3. White Paper

I greatly applaud Intel, especially in looking back at the dates in the documents when they started seriously investigating this and seeing they began when there was a large amount of social media and press about the Conflict Minerals.

The situation in the congo, where these minerals are funding and fueling the rape and massacre of thousands of people, is serious; and I’m inexplicably happy to see a large player in the industry take this issue seriously.  I hope other industry players do the same.