28 November, 2013

From VOA Learning English, this is the Economics Report.

Researchers have produced a new map of mining areas in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The map shows mines under the control of the Congolese army and armed groups. The study suggests that the top conflict mineral in the area is now gold.

FILE - Gold miners form a human chain while digging an open pit at the Chudja mine near the village of Kobu in northeastern Congo, Feb. 23, 2009.

A Belgian group, the International Peace Information Service (IPIS), carried out the study in partnership with the DRC registry of mines. The researchers found that armed groups were involved in about 200 of the 800 mines they studied, the Congolese army was involved at 265 mines. The researchers reported that both the military and the militias are taxing mine workers illegally.

The International Peace Information Service carried out a similar survey in 2009. Filip Hilgert was the lead researcher. He told VOA the map they made 4 years ago is no longer correct. He said many of the miners are now digging for gold, and he said the armed groups are profiting much more from gold than from other conflict minerals, such as tin, tungsten and tantalum. These minerals are often called the "three T's."

One reason for the change has been an increase in the price of gold. Another reason has been stronger international rules for mineral imports. The United States Congress passed legislation to fight the trade of conflict minerals. Mr Hilgert says such efforts have had a big effect on trade in the three T's, but it has not effected the gold trade.

Judith Sargentini is a member of the European parliament. She has been campaigning for a European law on conflict minerals. She notes that gold like diamonds is easy to transport in small amounts, that explains why it is hard to know where it was mined.

The German geological institute BGR (Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe) has collected minerals from hundreds of mines in Rwanda. The collections could be used to prove whether a sample of minerals came from a conflict area. But Judith Sargentini suggests that geophysical tests will not work. She say buyers need to know about their suppliers.

"You cannot solve every trade in a commodity by trying to find out what the geological background of a material is. It shows that you need, first of all, a due diligence supply chain, and second of all, initiatives that lead to fairtrade gold mining," said Sargentini.

Due diligence in this case means knowing and being about to trust your supplier.

And that is the Economics Report for VOA Learning English. I'm Mario Ritter.

From VOA Learning English, this is the Economics Report.

这里是美国之音慢速英语经济报道。

Researchers have produced a new map of mining areas in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The map shows mines under the control of the Congolese army and armed groups. The study suggests that the top conflict mineral in the area is now gold.

研究人员制成了一幅新的刚果民主共和国矿区地图。该地图展示了刚果军队和武装团体控制下的矿山。这项研究表明，现在该地区冲突最严重的矿产是黄金。

A Belgian group, the International Peace Information Service (IPIS), carried out the study in partnership with the DRC registry of mines. The researchers found that armed groups were involved in about 200 of the 800 mines they studied, the Congolese army was involved at 265 mines. The researchers reported that both the military and the militias are taxing mine workers illegally.

来自比利时的国际和平信息中心(简称IPIS)同刚果矿产登记处合作进行了这项研究。研究人员发现，在他们研究的800家矿山中，武装组织涉足了大约200家矿山，刚果军队涉足了265家矿山。研究人员报告称，军队和民兵都对矿工非法课税。

The International Peace Information Service carried out a similar survey in 2009. Filip Hilgert was the lead researcher. He told VOA the map they made 4 years ago is no longer correct. He said many of the miners are now digging for gold, and he said the armed groups are profiting much more from gold than from other conflict minerals, such as tin, tungsten and tantalum. These minerals are often called the "three T's."

国际和平信息中心于2009年进行过一项类似调查。菲利普·希尔戈尔特(Filip Hilgert)是首席研究员。他告诉美国之音，他们4年前制作的地图不再准确。他说，许多矿工现在都在挖金矿，他还说，武装组织从黄金中牟取的暴利远远超出了其它冲突矿物，如锡，钨和钽。这些矿物通常被称为“三大金属矿产”(three T's)。

One reason for the change has been an increase in the price of gold. Another reason has been stronger international rules for mineral imports. The United States Congress passed legislation to fight the trade of conflict minerals. Mr Hilgert says such efforts have had a big effect on trade in the three T's, but it has not effected the gold trade.

引起这一变化的原因之一是黄金价格的上涨，另一个原因是国际上对矿产出口的规则更加严格。美国国会通过立法打击冲突矿产贸易。希尔戈尔特表示，这类措施对“三大金属矿产”已经产生了重大的影响，但它并未影响到黄金交易。

Judith Sargentini is a member of the European parliament. She has been campaigning for a European law on conflict minerals. She notes that gold like diamonds is easy to transport in small amounts, that explains why it is hard to know where it was mined.

朱迪思·萨庚蒂尼(Judith Sargentini)是欧洲议会议员。她一直争取就冲突矿物出台一项欧洲法律。她指出，黄金像钻石一样容易少量运输，这也就解释了为何难以弄清它采掘自何处。

The German geological institute BGR (Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe) has collected minerals from hundreds of mines in Rwanda. The collections could be used to prove whether a sample of minerals came from a conflict area. But Judith Sargentini suggests that geophysical tests will not work. She say buyers need to know about their suppliers.

德国地质研究机构德国联邦地球科学和自然资源研究所(BGR)已经从卢旺达收集了数百种矿物，它们可以用于证实矿物样本是否来自冲突地区。但萨庚蒂尼认为地球物理测试起不到作用。她说，买家需要了解他们的供应商。

"You cannot solve every trade in a commodity by trying to find out what the geological background of a material is. It shows that you need, first of all, a due diligence supply chain, and second of all, initiatives that lead to fairtrade gold mining," said Sargentini.

萨庚蒂尼说，“你没法通过找出原材料的地质背景来解决一种商品的所有贸易。这说明你需要，首先，一条可靠的供应链，其次，各种通向黄金公平贸易的倡议。”

Due diligence in this case means knowing and being about to trust your supplier.

这种情况下的Due diligence是指了解并信任你的供应商。