Coltan is a mineral ore.
It contains two different minerals: columbite and tantalite.
It makes tantalum capacitors which are in almost every electronic device. The capacitors are what makes your cell phone hold and keep a charge.
Coltan is only found in a few areas of the world. 80% of the world's coltan is in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
When coltan is mined, gorillas' homes are destroyed. Often, gorillas are killed during mining.
The survival of the gorillas can be greatly impacted by recycling electronics.
You can help by recycling your old electronics (cell phones, iPods, iPads, gaming handheld devices, laptops, digital cameras, MP3 players, smartwatches, etc., at an electronics recycling location.
Keep your electronics longer than you normally do.