What's the story?
Coltan is a metallic ore that is mined both in and out of Africa and can be found within many electronic devices such as mobile phones. The mining of coltan within the Congo River Basin is contributing to forest loss and unrest in the region, and is accelerating the loss of mountain gorillas at an alarmingly fast rate.
Whilst efforts are being made to tackle this issue, the majority of the worlds known coltan reserves are found within Africa, and the mining of coltan within gorilla habitat continues. It is very difficult to know which phones contain coltan mined from Africa, however every phone can help save gorillas when donated to They're Calling on You.
DRC: Gorillas, Communities and Rainforest
Read more about how Zoos Victoria is making a difference.
Developing community reserves that protect rainforest habitat for wildlife, improve community health and education, and establish sustainable alternative livelihoods. Find out more
ARTICLE: Gorillas on the line
A great article from Green Magazine, summarising some of the problems and progress around coltan mining in the DRC.
Did you know?
It is estimated that 9 million new mobile phones sold in the last 12 months in Australia.
Australians typically upgrade their phones every 18-24 months!
As the forest is denuded for mining it can no longer shelter gorillas and other species from the bush meat crisis.
In Kahuzi Biega National Park, more than fifty percent of the mountain gorilla population have been lost. The species is on the brink of extinction.
You can make a difference simply by donating your old mobile phone!
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