Traceability is not simply a trend; it responds to major global challenges in mineral extraction and trade. Complex supply chains can allow minerals from conflict areas to fund armed groups or enable harmful environmental practices to go unnoticed. Traceability helps address these issues by promoting accountability and supporting informed decision-making throughout the supply chain(Directory, n.d.).
Global frameworks such as the OECD Due Diligence Guidance and the EITI encourage companies to reduce risks across mineral supply chains, including issues related to human rights and corruption. The EU’s ReMIS platform and its Conflict Minerals Regulation require due diligence reporting, improving transparency and supply chain visibility. Meanwhile, U.S. policies increasingly treat critical minerals as strategic national security resources, promoting stricter import measures and stronger partnerships with allied countries(New Platform to Enhance Transparency in Mineral Supply Chains – Trade and Economic Security, n.d.).
Complex and opaque supply chains, often involving many intermediaries, make full traceability difficult—particularly in artisanal mining sectors such as cobalt production in the DRC. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) frequently lack the resources needed to implement traceability systems, while midstream operations are often insufficiently monitored. Without meaningful progress, the risks of environmental damage and supply chain instability are likely to continue(Jean, 2025).
Reference:
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Directory, S. (n.d.). Mineral Supply Chain Traceability → Term. Prism → Sustainability Directory. Retrieved March 13, 2026, from https://prism.sustainability-directory.com/term/mineral-supply-chain-traceability/
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Jean. (2025, April 29). Beyond the Label: Rethinking Traceability in Critical Minerals. IMPACT. https://impacttransform.org/en/rethinking-traceability-in-critical-minerals/
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New platform to enhance transparency in mineral supply chains—Trade and Economic Security. (n.d.). Retrieved March 13, 2026, from https://policy.trade.ec.europa.eu/news/new-platform-enhance-transparency-mineral-supply-chains-2025-10-02_en
