kemet conflict-free socially sustainable tantalum ebook

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KEMET makes it possible Conflict-Free, Socially Sustainable Tantalum

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Since 2010, KEMET Corporation has taken a leading role in a project focused on the sourcing of conflict-free tantalum from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This project has developed the electronics industry’s first comprehensive, socially and economically sustainable sourcing model based on tantalum ore from the DRC, culminating in the only closed-pipe, vertically integrated conflict-free tantalum supply chain.

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Page 1: KEMET Conflict-Free Socially Sustainable Tantalum eBook

KEMET makes it possible

Conflict-Free, Socially Sustainable Tantalum

Page 2: KEMET Conflict-Free Socially Sustainable Tantalum eBook

The village of Kisengo in the conflict-free Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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Table of ContentsForeword ......................................................................................................................................................................5

Project Overview ......................................................................................................................................................7

High-Performance Capacitors for the Global Electronics Industry ......................................................9

The Challenge in DRC ..........................................................................................................................................10

A Better Way ..............................................................................................................................................................11

The Starting Point ...................................................................................................................................................12

The Program .............................................................................................................................................................13

The Story So Far .....................................................................................................................................................16

Completing the Supply Chain ...........................................................................................................................19

The Situation Today ...............................................................................................................................................21

Democratic Republic of Congo Timeline .....................................................................................................22

The Democratic Republic of Congo: Facts .................................................................................................24

Glossary of Terms ..................................................................................................................................................25

Certifications and Compliance .........................................................................................................................26

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Page 4: KEMET Conflict-Free Socially Sustainable Tantalum eBook

Since 2011, KEMET CEO Per Loof has visited the Kisengo mine site twice to better understand the challenges faced by mining communities living and working in this part of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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Foreword In mid-2014 I made my second visit to Kisengo in the Democratic Republic of Congo to see for myself the results of our initiative to establish a supply chain for verifiable conflict-free tantalum.

Since tantalum is a vital resource for the global electronics industry, large natural deposits in the DRC should enable its people to generate income through trade and thus improve their standard of living. It is well known, however, that violence funded by trade in stolen minerals (conflict minerals) such as tantalum ore has prevented this from happening.

At the time of my first visit, the outlook was dire for the DRC. Legislation aiming to stop the sale of conflict minerals looked like halting trade altogether and the DRC government had temporarily banned mining in the east of the country. I was there because we at KEMET felt there was a better way forward, and I needed to see how best to put our ideas into action.

I returned recently and have been delighted by the results achieved in a relatively short space of time. This brochure tells the story of our program - the Partnership for Social and Economic Sustainability - from its inception to the present day.

We believe it can serve as a blueprint for responsible companies worldwide as we all work to eradicate the causes of conflict and human rights violations in Africa.

Per Loof Chief Executive Officer, KEMET

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The Kisengo mine site in Katanga Province, Democratic Republic of Congo

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Project OverviewSince 2010, KEMET Corporation has taken a leading role in a project focused on the sourcing of conflict-free tantalum from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

This project has developed one of the electronics industry’s first comprehensive, socially and economically sustainable sourcing model based on tantalum ore from the DRC; culminating in the only closed-pipe, vertically integrated conflict-free tantalum supply chain.

The closed-pipe aspect of this supply chain is critical: this allows us to be sure that no tantalum ore or processed products from unknown and possibly non conflict-free sources can enter the supply chain undetected.

Following validation of all our tantalum supply-chain sources by the Electronics Industry Citizenship Coalition (EICC) Conflict-Free Smelter Program (CFSP), we can now describe our tantalum surface mount capacitors as conflict-free. This means that companies looking to use tantalum capacitors for optimum performance of new designs can rely on a secure and stable long-term supply of verifiable conflict-free parts.

The supply chain begins with tantalum ore sourced from the conflict-free Katanga Province of the DRC, through processing and smelting, and finishes with the delivery of conflict-free capacitors to KEMET customers: component stockists and electronic product manufacturers in all regions of the world.

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Primary concentrate of tantalum ore from the Kisengo mine site in Katanga Province, DRC.

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SBDS helps KEMET select only the strongest capacitors from each lot.

Tantalum capacitors are extremely useful in ultra-portable electronics

like smartphones, tablets, smart watches and small medical

devices. Their very high volumetric efficiency allows high values

of capacitance (to store energy as electrical charge) within small

package sizes. Globally, many millions of consumer and industrial

electronic products are made each year using these efficient

and robust devices, generating high global demand for tantalum

capacitors of various types and sizes; particularly in surface mount

(SMT) packages. The capacitors, in turn, are made using tantalum

powders produced from the mined tantalum ore.

The anode of a solid tantalum capacitor is formed from sintered pure

tantalum powder. The dielectric, which stores the charge, is tantalum

pentoxide (Ta2O5). The cathode can be either manganese dioxide

(MnO2) or an organic polymer. MnO2 capacitors have good self-

healing properties and can operate at high temperatures up to 175°C

or even 200°C. Polymer capacitors have a benign failure mode and

ultra-low parasitic resistance.

High-Performance Capacitors for the Global Electronics Industry

KEMET – The Leading Developer of Tantalum Capacitor TechnologiesKEMET is a pioneer of advanced technologies that help improve tantalum capacitor reliability. Some of these include KEMET’s unique F-Tech technology, which maximizes dielectric purity for longer-lasting performance. KEMET also developed Simulated Breakdown Screening (SBDS) to ensure that only the strongest capacitors are passed for despatch to customers.

High capacitance in relation to overall component size makes

tantalum capacitors ideal for smoothing power supply output

voltages or for filtering to prevent unwanted frequencies

interfering with sensitive circuitry.

High temperature capability allows use in industrial applications

and equipment like down-hole drilling systems for the oil and gas

industries or in automotive control units, which often must operate

in temperatures well above 100°C.

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The Challenge in DRCThe Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in Africa is known to contain large deposits of tantalum.

Sadly, this country has been the scene of constant fighting between

rival factions for years. Many of these groups have been stealing

and selling Congo’s natural resources, including tantalum, to fund

their operations while terribly abusing human rights and terrorizing

civilians. Companies in the tantalum industry are acutely aware of the

human rights atrocities associated with conflict minerals (tin, tungsten,

tantalum and gold), specifically those in the DRC and surrounding

countries. The widespread use of cell phones has made tantalum a

lightning rod for this issue.

A variety of activities have been undertaken in an attempt to create

a more stable environment in the eastern DRC. In the United States,

for example, Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and

Consumer Protection Act addresses the use of conflict minerals by

public companies, mandating assessment and reporting requirements

for products containing any conflict minerals. Additionally, the DRC

government issued a temporary mining embargo in its eastern Kivu

regions in 2010. There has also been considerable pressure on public

companies from various non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Unfortunately, these types of efforts have had unintended

consequences. A number of companies have simply stopped buying

any minerals from the DRC in order to ensure their operations are free

of conflict minerals. Some engineers and purchasing professionals

feel that the safest course is to avoid specifying tantalum capacitors in

new designs. However, the consequences of these approaches can

involve loss of livelihood for hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of

Congolese citizens. Ultimately this can have a severe negative social

impact, thus adding to an already untenable situation.

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A Better WayAs one of the largest users of tantalum, KEMET found both the situation and the apparent unwillingness of many companies to re-engage in the DRC unacceptable.

Rather than avoid the DRC altogether, KEMET saw an opportunity to develop a comprehensive and sustainable solution to sourcing conflict-free tantalum ore from the DRC. The most responsible approach would involve an integrated social and economic program that could act as a positive example for others. The goal was to build a sustainable foundation that embraced lasting prosperity and security for all the involved parties, as well as demonstrate that solutions combining social sustainability and economic interests are not mutually exclusive. To realize this vision, the KEMET initiative, Partnership for Social and Economic Sustainability, was formed.

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KEMET researched various mining companies to identify a suitable partner who might have a successful history of working in the DRC.

Mining Mineral Resources (MMR) had concessions to mine tantalum in the conflict-free Katanga Province. Initial discussions started in 2010 and KEMET CEO Per Loof traveled to the Kisengo mine site to better understand the challenges and risks of working in this part of the DRC.

KEMET executives decided that the Kisengo site represented not only a secure source of conflict-free tantalum, but had significant potential to positively impact the lives of the people of the village of Kisengo and the industry in general, both now and into the future.

The Starting Point

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Build a Sustainable BusinessBy establishing a long-term agreement with MMR, KEMET created the

conditions to allow high-grade tantalum ore capacity to be increased

in the future – not only for its own use, but for the electronics industry

as a whole. The endeavor sought to increase the overall long-term

stability of supply, which is a top concern for buyers and users of

tantalum capacitors. Historically, the situation in the DRC has resulted

in capacity disruptions that cause component prices and lead-times to

fluctuate. The Kisengo project provides an opportunity to improve this

situation, as seen by customers.

Implement Recognized Practices and StandardsThrough Pact, an implementing NGO, the Kisengo mine was the first

to implement the International Tin Research Institute Tin Supply Chain

Initiative (iTSCi) Traceability and Due-Diligence System after the lifting

of the DRC mining embargo. Additionally, the site has been audited

by iTSCi, the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural

Resources (BGR), and the social development consultancy Channel

Research.

The Kisengo mine is managed by the Coopérative des Artisanaux

Miniers du Congo (CDMC) under a clear set of rules. For instance,

anyone below the age of 18 is not allowed to enter the mine. The

cooperative minimizes the individual artisanal miner’s daily risk and

efforts associated with finding sufficient ore to support his family.

All of the miners share in the mine’s proceeds on a daily basis. The

efforts of the cooperative also support a lean artisanal mining process

by segregating the various steps, which increases output.

The Program

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Tantalum ore, or “coltan”, is collected from the Kisengo mine.

After mining, the coltan is then washed.

Prior to KEMET’s involvement, the mining process was basically an

old-fashioned, hand-held panning endeavor, which has now been

modernized and industrialized.

The miners have their individual contribution of concentrate weighed

by a representative from iTSCi. All contributions are logged,

consolidated into mine bags and brought to the CDMC depot.

The mine bags are then consolidated into larger “negotiante” bags

and tagged. The negotiante bags are placed in steel drums and

exported to KEMET Blue Metals in Matamoros, Mexico where the

ore is processed into K-Salt, a necessary intermediate product. All

information continues to be carefully logged by iTSCi.

The KEMET Blue Powder (KBP) facility in Carson City, Nevada,

manufactures the K-Salt into tantalum capacitor powder.

This tantalum capacitor powder is then shipped to KEMET’s

Matamoros, Mexico, plant for the production of tantalum capacitors.

A conflict-free tantalum capacitor is the result of an extensive

manufacturing process. These capacitors are shipped to customers

around the world.

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While the economic aspect of the Partnership is obvious, a long-term workable solution requires strong social components. As part of the comprehensive business plan, KEMET has already spent over $1.5 million during the Partnership’s first two years for social and economic sustainability projects at the mine and village.

A potential pitfall of these types of programs is that the spending decisions are many times made by principals who are removed from the situation and may not understand the day-to-day challenges of living in a place like Kisengo. This can result in short-term benefits that are not sustainable over time. To avoid this, the Partnership teamed with Kisengo Foundation (KF), which is responsible for defining the needs of the community, the individual projects and, therefore, how the money is spent. Projects already moving forward or completed include a school, a medical clinic, fresh water wells, solar street lighting and other infrastructure improvements. It is projected that the Partnership’s social programs will be self-sustaining in the long run using proceeds from the mine output.

Deliver Social Benefits

Draw Expertise from Around the WorldTo make sure these efforts continue to work as intended, several partner organizations are currently being considered. It is not enough to

simply build a school or a medical clinic. It is just as important to find teachers and doctors who are willing to live at the site. Additionally,

systems must be developed to guarantee they are paid and that they have the needed tools to perform their jobs.

With support from KEMET, doctors from the Upright Africa Project (a private medical foundation in the state of New Jersey, USA) traveled to the

DRC in September 2012 to train local and regional doctors in the prevention and treatment of musculoskeletal and spinal injuries. These are the

most frequent type of injuries found at mine sites. This was the first of many visits by these and other practitioners in the effort to enhance the

overall quality of life for the people of Kisengo.

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As one of the largest users of tantalum, KEMET’s goal was to build a sustainable foundation that embraced lasting prosperity and security for all the involved parties, as well as demonstrate that solutions combining social sustainability and economic interests are not mutually exclusive. As a result, the KEMET initiative, Partnership for Social and Economic Sustainability, was formed.

KEMET is committed to the Partnership for Social and Economic Sustainability at the mine and village for the long haul. An early priority of this initiative was to establish a school with adequate facilities to provide education for the children of Kisengo. The school is now open and is providing full-time education in a range of subjects, with the benefit of resources, such as desks, teaching materials, books and other essentials that are considered to be a privilege in many parts of the DRC.

KEMET’s financial commitment supported the development of a new hospital for the village of Kisengo. Prior to this recently completed facility, the hospital was little more than a series of thatched roof huts. Now, the hospital provides a much-appreciated resource for the mineworkers and the people of Kisengo. The hospital is well equipped and staffed by medical professionals from the USA and worldwide, who are helping to train local workers to run the hospital independently in the longer term.

The school and hospital are governed by the Kisengo board, which contains a number of members including representatives from KEMET and MMR.

New solar street lighting is just part of the many infrastructure improvements that are now taking place in Kisengo. Solar lighting can be installed and operated cost-effectively. It also delivers security benefits and facilitates essential mobility during the night.

The Story So Far

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The people of Kisengo now have access to clean, fresh water thanks to the installation of new wells.

This water supply was one of the first improvements delivered by KEMET and Kisengo Foundation’s social

and economic sustainability initiative.

KEMET has funded the repair of existing infrastructure such as roads and bridges. The Partnership aims

to improve the quality of roads in the Kisengo area and develop the road network towards other nearby

towns and villages.

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KEMET’s Partnership facilitated the construction of a variety of much-needed infrastructure, such as the installation of clean water wells for the people of Kisengo

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Completing the Supply ChainKEMET and its partners have helped establish a sustainable income from the mine for the people of Kisengo, empowering them to determine the future of their own community. For KEMET and its customers, a closed-pipe, vertically integrated tantalum supply chain ensures a reliable supply of verifiable conflict-free parts to the global electronics industry. This supply chain is now in place and covers all activities and processes from the mining of tantalum ore to the manufacture of tantalum capacitors.

To ensure a scalable and efficient closed-pipe system in accordance with lean manufacturing principles and fulfilling its vertical integration strategy, KEMET needed access to facilities for tantalum ore processing and capacitor-grade tantalum powder manufacturing. To this end KEMET upgraded the initial startup configuration of the supply chain by building a tantalum-ore processing plant, named KEMET Blue Metal, in Matamoros, Mexico, and acquired a tantalum powder manufacturing facility in Carson City, Nevada, USA, now named KEMET Blue Powder. This tantalum powder facility is able to produce the various types of powder required, in sufficient volumes to satisfy a significant portion of KEMET’s tantalum powder requirements.

KEMET has ensured that its supply has been compliant with the EICC/Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSI) Tantalum Conflict-Free Smelter Program (CFSP) at all stages of its evolution.

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Customers

Ta OreKisengo Mine in Katanga Province, DRC

K-SaltMatamoros, MX

Capacitor Grade Ta PowderCarson City, NV Customers

KEMET’s Closed-Pipe, Conflict-Free Vertically Integrated Tantalum Supply Chain

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Sourcing conflict-free materials is a complex but necessary process from both ethical and legal perspectives.

With the Partnership for Social and Economic Sustainability, KEMET has focused on the social and

economic imperatives necessary to create a sustainable environment for all stakeholders in the overall

tantalum supply chain. It begins with the miners and their families, and ultimately ends with KEMET

customers and shareholders.

Companies involved in the electronics supply chain, specifically those in the tantalum chain, have a

tremendous opportunity to take the lead in developing initiatives that can overcome the issues that

perpetuate conflict and empower the DRC’s mineworkers, their families and communities to improve

standards of living.

In September 2012, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a final ruling on Section

1502 of the Dodd-Frank bill. The final ruling document referenced the KEMET solution a total of six times

– an indication of the impact the company’s efforts have already had and the roadmap those efforts

represent for other manufacturers.

In June 2014, KEMET filed its 2013 Conflict Minerals Report with the U.S. Securities and Exchange

Commission (SEC) in accordance with Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform & Consumer

Protection Act. As outlined in the report, all KEMET tantalum supply chain sources were validated by the

EICC CFSP. As a result of its efforts, KEMET can describe its surface mount MnO2 tantalum and surface

mount polymer tantalum capacitors as conflict-free. KEMET is also currently pursuing conflict-free sourcing

for gold, tin and tungsten.

At the time KEMET’s report was released, it was the only independently audited report on conflict-free

status to have been filed with the SEC by a capacitor manufacturer.

The Situation Today

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Democratic Republic of Congo Timeline

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1885 - 1908Congo Free State privately controlled by

Belgian King Leopold II

1908 - 1960Belgian Congo under Belgian rule

1960 - 1965Independence form Belgium; renamed Republic

of Congo; The Congo Crisis civil war and temporary fragmentation of the country

1965 - 1996Joseph Mobutu seizes power and renames

country to Zaire

1996 - 2003First and Second Congo Wars, drawing in

several neighboring countries

1997Rebels oust Mobutu; Zaire is renamed

Democratic Republic of Congo; Laurent Kabila installed as president

2001U.S. refugee agency says the war has killed 2.5 million people since August 1998; United

Nations panels state that warring parties are deliberately prolonging the conflict

to plunder minerals

July 2006First free presidential and parliamentary

elections in four decades

October 2009 - August 2010Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition (EICC) and Global eSustainability (GeSI) Conflict-Free

Smelter protocols developed

July 2010U.S. President Barack Obama signs the

Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (”Dodd-Frank Act”) into Law

September 2010Congolese President Joseph Kabila suspends

mining operations in 3 eastern provinces due to unrest

October 2010First Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition

(EICC) and Global eSustainability (GeSI) Conflict-Free Smelter audit

December 2010Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) guidelines for company

due diligence released

February 2011KEMET CEO Per Loof visits the Katanga

Province DRC and initiates engagement with Mining Mineral Resources (MMR)

March 2011Mining suspension lifted

April 2011International Tin Research Institute Tin

Supply Chain Initiative (iTSCi) project begins transparency protocol in Katanga Province

August 2011First conflict-free ore shipped from Kisengo mine

October 2011First conflict-free ore processed at

Tantalite resources

February 2012KEMET acquires tantalum powder

processing facility

August 2012First KEMET conflict-free capacitors shipped

to customers

Security & Exchange Commission Final Rule of Conflict Minerals Section 1502 of the

Dodd-Frank Act

June 2014KEMET files conflict minerals report to U.S.

Securities and Exchange Commission; Surface mount tantalum capacitors identified as

conflict-free

September 2012Tantalite Resources undergoes CFSP audit

February 2013Tantalite Resources, KEMET Blue Metal

(Mexico), and KEMET Blue Powder (Nevada) receive Conflict-Free Smelter Program (CFSP)

Validation from the EICC/GeSI Audit Review Committee

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Population77.5 million (4th in Africa, 19th in the world)

Area905,355 sq. miles (2nd in Africa, 11th in the world)

CapitalKinshasa (9.5 million inhabitants)

Official LanguageFrench

National LanguagesLingala, Kikongo, Swahili and Tshiluba (Bantu languages)

GovernmentSemi-presidential republic

PresidentJoseph Kabila (since 2006)

Independence 1960 (from Belgium)

Currency Congolese Franc (CDF)

The Democratic Republic of Congo: Facts

Economy and Conflict Minerals

The Democratic Republic of Congo had a $15.668 billion GDP (nominal) in 2011. The main source of economy in the country comes from agriculture and minerals.

In fact, if it is one of the poorest countries in the world regarding nominal GDP per capita, it is also considered as the richest regarding natural resources (deposits of raw minerals are estimated to be worth $24 trillion). This impressive amount comes from the fact that the DRC has about 10% of the world’s copper (160 million tons), 48% of the world’s cobalt (2.14 million tons), more than 70% of the world’s coltan (from which is extracted tantalum) and finally 35% of the world’s diamond reserves. The DRC has also large deposits of gold, silver, tungsten, tin and even uranium.

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BGRBundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (German

Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources)

CDMCCoopérative des Artisanaux Miniers du Congo

(Congo Artisanal Mining Cooperative)

CFSPConflict-Free Smelter Program

ColtanAbbreviated name of columbite-tantalite, a dull black metallic

ore from which the element tantalum is extracted

DRCDemocratic Republic of Congo

ECIA Electronic Components Industry Association

EICC Electronics Industry Citizenship Coalition

GeSi Global e-Sustainability Initiative

ICGLR International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, an inter-

governmental organization of 11 countries in the African Great Lakes

Region promoting sustainable peace and development

ITRI International Tin Research Institute

iTSCi International Tin Supply Chain Initiative

KEMKEMET Corporation’s New York Stock Exchange listing symbol

KF Kisengo Foundation, a non-governmental organization working

to improve the lives in rural Katanga DRC

KBPKEMET Blue Powder, tantalum powder manufacturer

in Carson City, Nevada

Katanga Southeastern province in the DRC

KivusLarge eastern region in the DRC bordering Lake Kivu

Kisengo Rural mining village in northern Katanga province, DRC

K-SaltTantalum ore that has been chemically refined to make

capacitor-grade tantalum powder

MnO2 capacitorTantalum capacitor made with cathode of manganese dioxide.

Delivers high volumetric efficiency with high-temperature capability

MMR Mining Mineral Resources, a mining company with

a successful history of working in the DRC

NGONon-Governmental Organization. A legally constituted organization

that operates independently from any form of government.

OECD Organization for Economic and Cooperative Development

Pact40-year old global NGO operating in 59 countries focusing

on sustainable international development

Partnership for Social & Economic SustainabilityKEMET’s comprehensive, socially and economically sustainable

sourcing initiative based on conflict-free mining of tantalum ore

in the DRC

Polymer capacitorTantalum capacitor with cathode made from organic polymer material.

Combines high volumetric efficiency with the benefits of low parasitic

resistance and benign failure mode

SECU.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

SMTSurface-Mount Technology. Capacitor packaging technology suitable

for high-speed automated electronic product manufacturing

TICTantalum-Niobium International Study Center

Glossary of Terms

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The independent international NGO, Pact, audited the Kisengo mine site and declared it conflict-free.

Based on this determination, Pact instituted the International Tin Research Institute (ITRI) Tin Supply Chain Initiative (iTSCi) chain of custody and

due diligence system traceability program. This includes independent and third-party risk assessment and audits for protection against human

rights abuses including the worst forms of child labor, as required by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas. Kisengo was the first site

to have the iTSCi program instituted after the Kabila government lifted the mining embargo in March 2011. The Pact audit was and continues

to be aligned with the OECD due diligence requirements.

MMR and the Kisengo site have been certified by Germany’s BGR. Since 2009, BGR has supported the DRC Ministry of Mines in developing

a mineral certification system in the eastern DRC as part of a German-Congo cooperative program, “Strengthening of transparency and control

on the natural resources in the DRC.” Since January 2011, BGR has supported the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR)

in implementing a mineral certification system in selected member states.

MMR and the Kisengo site have also been audited and certified as conflict-free by Channel Research, the iTSCi independent third-party risk

assessor and auditor and OECD due-diligence guidance consultancy.

In February 2013, the EICC/GeSI Audit Review Committee validated that Tantalite Resources, KEMET Blue Metal (Mexico), and KEMET Blue

Powder (Nevada) are in compliance with Tantalum Conflict-Free Smelter Program (CFSP).

On June 2, 2014, KEMET released its 2013 Conflict Minerals Report – which was also submitted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

(SEC) in accordance with U.S. law. The report provides details on the company’s efforts to ensure that all tantalum materials are conflict-free.

All KEMET tantalum supply chain sources were validated by the EICC Conflict-Free Smelter Program, allowing KEMET to market its surface

mount tantalum capacitors as conflict-free.

KEMET fully supports the position of the EICC, the Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSI), the Electronic Industry Components Association (EICA)

and the Tantalum-Niobium International Study Center (TIC) in avoiding the use of conflict minerals which directly or indirectly finance or benefit

armed groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo or adjoining countries. This position is in full compliance with the EICC’s Electronic Industry

Code of Conduct.

Certifications and Compliance

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About KEMETKEMET Corporation is a leading global supplier of electronic components.

We offer our customers the broadest selection of capacitor technologies in the industry, along with an expanding range of electromechanical devices, electromagnetic compatibility solutions and supercapacitors. Our vision is to be the preferred supplier of electronic component solutions for customers demanding the highest standards of quality, delivery and service.

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www.kemet.com