Lawyers file charges against Apple over its alleged use of disputed minerals

The modern world runs on rare earths. Companies like Apple need vast amounts of rare materials to manufacture the devices that make the modern world possible. The Democratic Republic of Congo, which has long been a site where people fight over these minerals, has filed criminal charges against Apple in France and Belgium. The Democratic Republic of Congo accuses Apple of using conflict minerals in its supply chain.

The metals involved are tin, tantalum and tungsten, a group known as 3T. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is famous for the presence of 3T deposits, and world powers have long gone there to mine and mine these resources. According to the DRC and its lawyers, these minerals were extracted by armed groups and then laundered into the global supply chain where Apple buys them.

“The apple is red, not green. This is a trillion dollar company and must be assumed to know the consequences of its actions. Enough with the denial of accountability and hiding behind the false narrative of supply chain defenses!” Robert Amsterdam, DRC Attorney He said in a statement.

The complaint was criminal Build for a long time. This group of lawyers has been working with the DRC for years and is trying to get answers from Apple about where it gets everything it needs from 3T. According to lawyers, Apple was not prepared for this.

Last year, in a The report has been submitted Apple, in cooperation with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, said it traced its 3T supply chains. “Based on our due diligence efforts, including analysis of information provided by third-party audit programs, primary traceability programs, and our suppliers, we have found no reasonable basis to conclude that any 3TG smelters or refineries have been identified within our supply chain as of 31 December 2023 Funded or benefited, directly or indirectly, armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or in a neighboring country.

Eastern Congo is famous for its mineral deposits and Humanitarian disasters. A complex network of armed militias, Russian mercenariesChinese commercial interests have created land for displaced people and business is done by the end of the gun. The conflict has displaced millions of people and killed many more. The situation is so dire that locals in some communities welcomed Wagner’s mercenaries from Eastern Europe and Russia. With open arms. Despite all the violence, the metal continues to flow. The mines are open, extracting value from the land.

The authorities in Belgium and France will review the criminal complaint filed by the DRC and decide how to proceed. History is not on their side. In March, a US Court of Appeals held Dismissal of a similar criminal complaint From the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which accused Apple, Google, Dell, and Tesla of profiting from child labor in the country.
In its statement, Amsterdam described this new criminal complaint as “the first batch of judicial proceedings.”