Dodd-Frank's Collateral Damage in Africa

Sep 15, 2014 | Wall Street Journal
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Reminiscent of the racially discriminatory practice of "redlining" neighborhoods, a little-known measure in the 2010 Dodd-Frank law, designed to stop the trafficking of "conflict minerals" from the Democratic Republic of Congo, is not achieving that goal. The measure also discriminates against the DRC's regional neighbors and is hurting U.S. companies and consumers.

The minerals tantalite, tin, tungsten and gold reportedly are trafficked by armed groups. The Dodd-Frank measure calls on publicly traded...