Does Apple buy conflict minerals? French prosecutor does not examine

The Democratic Republic of Congo raises serious allegations against Apple: The iPhone manufacturer benefits from “massive pure washing” of minerals that finance bad crimes in the Congo. Apple denies this. Lawyers of the country have filed criminal complaint against the US group in Belgium and France. While in Belgium, the public prosecutor's office in Paris has hired the procedure: the allegations are insufficiently justified.

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However, the matter is not yet eaten. On the one hand, the French public prosecutor's office refers to the Democratic Republic of Congo (Dr Congo) to a body responsible for war crimes, Like Reuters Citing a document of February 18. On the other hand, the lawyers have announced an appeal against the employment of the investigations by the public prosecutor.

The ads accuse Apple, knowingly gold, tantalum, Wolfram and tin, which were looted illegally and violently in the Dr Kongo, through international supply chains. Apple also misleaded consumers by portraying its raw material sources as clean. The minerals procured from the DR Congo were installed in iPhones and computers. Tantal is required for capacitors, the majority of the global reserves are suspected in the DR Congo.

Looted raw materials finance violent crimes

Apple rejected the allegations. According to its own statements, the group regularly checks its suppliers. Apple has also published audits and supported organizations that work for better traceability of the raw materials. However, one of these organizations, responsible Minerals initiative, has discredited a trial system called TSCI (International Tin Supply Chain Initiative) used by Apple and removed from the list of accepted procedures in 2022. According to its own information, Apple generally strives for more recycling in order to reduce the risk of conflict minerals.

In the east of the DR account, several armed groups of insurgents fight for power. Funning, rapes and murders are the order of the day. The robbery of the valuable metals finances the uprising. The ore is spent on the border to Rwanda on a large scale and then sold under false origin. The DR Congo complains about losses of human life as well as in income.

The DR Congo already booked a success for itself: After reimbursement of the advertisements in France and Belgium, Apple has announced that they no longer buy minerals that DR Congo or Rwanda bear as a designation of origin. The decision is said to have been made in early 2024. Representatives of the Congo are skeptical whether the suppliers actually follow their official arrangement.