Coltan may be an important mineral when it comes to the construction of electronics, but as mentioned, the methods used to mine it are frequently not cutting edge at all. Coltan is often mined by hand by artisanal miners, with rock and sand being panned and filtered until the mineral sinks to the bottom. This process was common during the gold rush in the mid-1800s. It is not only adults working as artisanal miners; often, children and teenagers are used as child labor in the mines, and conditions are harsh.