Illicit mining is a problem in many areas. Gold in particular is a real problem as mercury is often used to extract it generating very difficult long term health and environmental issues. Suppliers do have traceability programs, and policies for only using known sources. Ultimately however the amount of recycling and the multiple opportunities it provides at all levels for introducing material into the supply chain makes full traceability problematic. The problem is that money and metal are virtually the same (just check your pocket) and thus easily interchangeable by less than scrupulous operators. This makes legitimate companies vulnerable, no matter how hard they might try. As Brian says once the stuff has been refined (in the case of tin electrolytically) it becomes virtually impossible to trace chemically, leaving only paper trails which are easily falsified. Over the years I have always been impressed by the ingenuity of the schemes that people have come up with to make the conversion [and thought if only they could have applied their ingenuity legitimately.] Mike -----Original Message----- From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of spcbd-technet Sent: Monday, September 30, 2013 3:02 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [TN] "Here's to those brave souls who fought lead-free solder!!." It's not just tin however. Gold mining in Romania is under fire right now. Not sure where the Romanian gold would end up but possibly in electronics. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/romanians-protest-in-trafalga r-square-against-cyanide-mining-in-rosia-montana-8847614.html Ken _____________________________________ Kenneth J. Wood Saturn PCB Design, Inc. [log in to unmask] (407) 340-2668 www.saturnpcb.com -----Original Message----- From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Pete Sent: Monday, September 30, 2013 9:45 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [TN] "Here's to those brave souls who fought lead-free solder!!." Nice explanation, Brian. Please forward that to Washington before they write another financial reform bill/ Peter ______________________________________________________________________ This email has been scanned by the Symantec Email Security.cloud service. For more information please contact helpdesk at x2960 or [log in to unmask] ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ This email has been scanned by the Symantec Email Security.cloud service. For more information please contact helpdesk at x2960 or [log in to unmask] ______________________________________________________________________