Attorneys for the Congolese government told Reuters that the DRC has accused Apple of exploiting conflict minerals in its supply chain and has filed criminal accusations against Apple businesses in France and Belgium. Congo is a significant supplier of the so-called 3T minerals—tin, tantalum, and tungsten—used in computers and cell phones. However, according to UN experts and human rights organizations, some artisanal mines are operated by armed groups that commit mass rapes, looting, and other crimes, including massacres of civilians.
Attorneys for the Congolese government told Reuters that the DRC has accused Apple of exploiting conflict minerals in its supply chain and has filed criminal accusations against Apple businesses in France and Belgium. Congo is a significant supplier of the so-called 3T minerals—tin, tantalum, and tungsten—used in computers and cell phones. However, according to UN experts and human rights organizations, some artisanal mines are operated by armed groups that commit mass rapes, looting, and other crimes, including massacres of civilians.