DRC accuses Apple of using illegal minerals from war-hit regions

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has accused Apple of sourcing precious metals used in its Iphones and Mac laptops from warlords in its conflict-stricken east. DRC lawyers called the minerals allegedly illegally acquired by Apple- such as tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold- as “tainted with blood” of the Congolese people. The lawyers sent Apple a formal cease and desist notice, warning the tech giant it could face legal action if the alleged practice continues. The notice to Apple from the DRC includes inquiries regarding “3T (Tin, Tungsten, Tantalum) minerals used in Apple products” and urges the tech company to respond “within three weeks.”

“Based on our due diligence efforts… we found no reasonable basis for concluding that any of the smelters or refiners of 3TG(tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold) determined to be in our supply chain as of December 31, 2023, directly or indirectly financed or benefited armed groups in the DRC or an adjoining country,” Apple said in a response to AFP. The DRC’s mineral-rich Great Lakes region has been wracked by violence since regional wars in the 1990s, with tensions reheating in late 2021 when March 23 Movement (M23) rebels began recapturing swathes of territory.

The DRC, the UN and Western countries accuse Rwanda of supporting rebel groups, including M23, in a bid to control the region’s vast mineral resources, an allegation Kigali denies