South Kivu in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is both infamous for its vicious and seemingly never-ending civil conflict and envied for its vast natural resources.
These abundant minerals– from tin to coltan - are in huge international demand; vital to the economies of the developed world as key components in high-tech electronic consumer goods, from laptops and tablets to smart phones and flat screen TVs.
But this demand has also helped make these strategically important metals a key driver of the endemic conflict in this part of the country – violence that has led to the deaths of nearly six million in over a decade.
