EU Conflict Minerals Regulation term for the metal supply chain after smelters and refiners through to the final product.
Downstream is the post-smelter/refiner metal and product-chain segment. It should not erase upstream due-diligence responsibilities, but it helps separate product/manufacturing evidence from the mineral-extraction and smelter/refiner segment.
Regulation (EU) 2017/821 laying down supply chain due diligence obligations for Union importers of tin, tantalum and tungsten, their ores, and gold originating from conflict-affected and high-risk areas
the metal supply chain from the stage following the smelters and refiners to the final product
Article 2 definitions for EU conflict-minerals due diligence. Source-specific to tin, tantalum, tungsten, their ores, and gold.
Reference: Article 2, point (k)
Implementation records should capture the downstream segment, stage following the smelters and refiners, final product, metal supply-chain position, product or component link, material transformation records, and upstream due-diligence references passed forward.
Conflict-minerals downstream is a product-chain boundary control: it helps route post-smelter/refiner material evidence without pretending downstream product records replace upstream source-risk evidence.