Congo Files Complaints Against Apple Over Conflict Minerals

The Democratic Republic of Congo has filed criminal complaints against Apple subsidiaries in France and Belgium accusing the company of using conflict minerals.

Lawyers acting on behalf of Congo’s justice minister argued in the filings that Apple is complicit in crimes committed by armed groups that control some of the mines in east Congo that supply critical materials such as tin, tantalum and tungsten used in computers and mobile phones.

Apple said in a filing on conflict minerals last year to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that none of the smelters or refiners of such materials in its supply chain had financed or benefited armed groups in Congo or neighbouring countries.

In a statement, lawyers representing Congo said Apple uses minerals pillaged from Congo and “laundered through international supply chains”.

‘Blood minerals’

They claimed that Apple’s supply chain is contaminated with “blood minerals”.

“These activities have fuelled a cycle of violence and conflict by financing militias and terrorist groups and have contributed to forced child labour and environmental devastation,” they said.

The parallel complaints filed to the Paris prosecutor’s office and a Belgian investigating magistrate’s office on Monday accuse European subsidiaries Apple France, Apple Retail France and Apple Retail Belgium of offences including covering up war crimes, laundering of tainted materials and handling stolen goods.

“It is clear that the Apple group, Apple France and Apple Retail France know very well that their minerals supply chain relies on systemic wrongdoing,” says the French complaint.

Apple said in its 2023 filing that it “does not directly purchase, procure, or source primary minerals”, but is committed to internationally accepted due diligence standards for such minerals and recycled materials in its supply chain.

Third-party audit

Those involved in its supply chain must participate in an independent third-party conflict minerals audit, the company said.

It said last year it removed 14 smelters and refiners that would not participate or did not meet its requirements for responsible sourcing.

Congo is a major supplier of valuable minerals, which have fuelled conflict in the country for decades.

Rights groups allege conflict materials are transported to Rwanda, where they are laundered and sold into international supply chains for high-tech products.

Rwanda has denied benefiting from conflict materials and described Congo’s legal action against Apple as a publicity stunt.