There is a mineral in Africa that is used in cell phones and animals
are being killed in Africa to get to the mineral.  What is the name of
this mineral?

Hi guru12345,

The mineral you are looking for is: "coltan"  --  the word is a
contraction of "coloumbo-tantalite."

Coltan is an ore that contains the element tantalum, and is used to
coat components of electronic devices like cell phones and computers.

This UN Report examines the effects of the wars and mining of coltan,
diamonds, gold and cassiterite, on the wildlife populations of central
Africa.

"The number of okapis, gorillas and elephants has dwindled to small
populations. In the Kahuzi-Biega Park, a zone controlled by the
Rwandans and RCD-Goma and rich in coltan, only 2 out of 350 elephant
families remained in 2000. There is serious concern among
conservationists that the rest fled of their own accord or were
killed, as two tons of elephant tusks were traced in the Bukavu area
late in 2000. Already by April 2000, about three tons of tusks were
temporarily seized by RCD-ML in Isiro."

Report of the Panel of Experts on the Illegal Exploitation of Natural
Resources and Other Forms of Wealth of the Democratic Republic of the
Congo
http://www.un.org/News/dh/latest/drcongo.htm


This article provides a shorter overview of the same report:

Cell Phones, Elephants and War 
http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/9446.html


Thanks for your question. I learned something new today!

-K~

search terms: 

mining mineral cell phone africa

By definition, mineral is not extacted from animals: 
" naturally occurring, homogeneous inorganic solid substance having a
definite chemical composition and characteristic crystalline
structure, color, and hardness.
Any of various natural substances, as:
An element, such as gold or silver. 
An organic derivative, such as coal or petroleum. 
A substance, such as stone, sand, salt, or coal, that is extracted or
obtained from the ground or water and used in economic activities.
A substance that is neither animal nor vegetable; inorganic matter. 
An inorganic element, such as calcium, iron, potassium, sodium, or
zinc, that is essential to the nutrition of humans, animals, and
plants. " http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=minerals&r=67

Sounds to me like an urban legend.