RCS Global, a Berlin-based blockchain company, provides market-ready technology solutions to combat conflict minerals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

On October 1, Reuters reported that Societe Miniere de Bisunzu (SMB) government officials in the Congo are using blockchain technology to reassure their customers that the minerals they buy are not part of a blood-stained supply chain.

In early 2019, RCS Global began implementing its blockchain technology solutions that enable SMB mine employees to tag their minerals digitally. RCS CEO Ferdinand Maubrey said: “Buyers of SMB material can be so confident that it actually comes from this mine site and is not smuggled as far as possible from other mines into the supply chain.”

Mines today rely heavily on paper-based certification systems that are prone to corruption. According to Maubrey, the new RCS Global system has helped to prevent contaminated minerals from mixing with the clean and traceable minerals of SMEs by creating new barriers.

“For example, to use stolen tags, a smuggler would have to steal both the scanner and the laptop — which, according to Maubrey, would be easy to spot.”

Despite being a step in the right direction, SMB leader Ben Mwangachuchu pointed out that digital systems can still be damaged, “when government agents labeling bags connect with smugglers from the beginning to enter incorrect data.”

Blockchain has the potential to offer a lot of solutions. SGC is using blockchain to serve its users with a hybrid coin. The Secured Gold Coin is a cryptocurrency that is 60% gold-backed, rest 40% is utility part that can be used anytime, anywhere. It comes with SGC PAY Debit card, which makes SGC usable for daily needs via POS and at online stores.