A new rule regarding so-called “conflict minerals” that is argued to be an important step towards ending violent conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has created a due diligence quagmire for many companies. Which means it’s time for compliance professionals to add “mineralogist” to their resumes.

Under a final “Conflict Minerals Rule” passed by the Securities and Exchange Commission last month, public companies must disclose their use of conflict minerals (cassiterite,used to make tin; columbite-tantalite,from which tantalum is extracted; gold; and wolframite,used to produce tungsten; or their derivatives) originating in the DRC or an adjoining country—Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.