H.C. Starck GmbH, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of technology metals and advanced ceramics has received certification for processing of ‘conflict-free’ tantalum raw materials for the seventh time in a row. The audited H.C. Starck companies are members of ITSCI, the highly regarded system for transparent procurement of raw materials from areas of conflict which regularly checks implementation of this system among its member companies.

“Fair and responsible purchasing of raw materials remains a key pillar of our raw materials strategy. We source and process tantalum exclusively from demonstrably conflict-free sources,” says Dr. Jens Knöll, Chairman of the Executive Board of H.C. Starck GmbH. . “Our company has very high purchasing standards; H.C. Starck has already managed to fulfill the main requirements of the EU Conflict Minerals Regulation which will be binding as from 2021.”

H.C. Starck unconditionally supports the position of the RBA, OECD, and EU of not purchasing, processing, or reselling any raw materials that serve to finance or benefit armed groups. The group supplies many growing industrial sectors from its production facilities in Europe, America and Asia, employing approximately 2,600 workers in the USA, Canada, the UK, Germany, China, Japan and Thailand.

The audit, performed as part of the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI, formerly CFSI), included the subsidiary H.C. Starck Tantalum and Niobium GmbH and the associated company H.C. Starck Smelting GmbH & Co. KG. This means all subsidiaries that process tantalum at the Goslar, Mito, Tokyo, Map Ta Phut, and Laufenburg locations remain certified.