A conceptual framework for mineral supply chain traceability: Enabling conditions and core dimensions

Companies trading in mineral resources must monitor supply chains rigorously, as minerals may originate from conflict-affected areas and present risks like human rights abuses, environmental damage, and corruption. Beyond regulatory pressures mandating ethical sourcing and transparency, consumers, NGOs, employees, and investors increasingly demand robust due diligence and detailed information on material origin. A central element of these practices is traceability, which enables companies to verify that their sourcing aligns with corporate standards and sustainability goals. Despite progress, traceability initiatives remain fragmented, often addressing isolated issues rather than forming a unified framework. The complexity of mineral supply chains, involving numerous actors and diverse requirements, further complicates the implementation of traceability. This study proposes an integrated conceptual framework for mineral supply chain traceability, developed through an extensive review of academic literature, technical and regulatory documents, and refined through expert validation. The framework organises traceability into enabling conditions and core dimensions across five interdependent categories, consisting of a total of twenty factors: Governance and compliance, Supply chain management, Social and environmental impacts, Technology and analytics, and Performance and evaluation. It is emphasised that effective traceability is a systemic task that requires solid institutional structures, coordinated operational practices, meaningful social and environmental commitments, appropriate technological tools, and continuous evaluation mechanisms. Technologies such as blockchain or digital product passports only prove their effectiveness when integrated into favourable conditions. The proposed framework provides policymakers, industry actors and certification bodies with a coherent structure for designing, assessing and strengthening traceability across diverse mineral supply chains.