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The term \\u201cblood diamonds\\u201d entered the popular lexicon in the past few decades, to be replaced somewhat by \\u201cblood minerals\\u201d or \\u201cconflict minerals.\\u201d In short, many armed groups and conflicts are financed and sustained by illegally selling mined resources like diamonds, gold, tungsten and other financially lucrative materials. The problem is international, and the United States Geological Survey is partnering with international organizations to track and monitor the conflict mineral trade worldwide.\\xa0

Peter Chirico is associate director of the USGS Florence Bascom Geoscience Center and special advisor to the U.S. Department of State\\u2019s Office of Threat Finance Countermeasures. He joined the podcast to discuss the USGS efforts to combat the conflict mineral trade.

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