US rights group sues Apple for mineral sourcing from Congo
Miners working in an open shaft Cobalt mine in DR Congo (via Reuters)
A US-based rights group has sued Apple in Washington, claiming Apple’s supply chain uses minerals tied to war and human-rights abuses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, Reuters reported on November 26th.
International Rights Advocates (IRAdvocates) in its statement claimed that Apple, despite its denial, still uses cobalt, tin, tantalum and tungsten, which are linked to forced labour and armed conflict in Congo and Rwanda.
Congo is rich in Cobalt, which is used in batteries of mobile phones and laptops and is a highly essential mineral in the production of batteries. Congo’s mineral wealth has been marred by unregulated practices, miner deaths, child labour, and exploitation.
Rwanda plays a role in the illegal extraction of these blood minerals, exporting them from Rwanda for profit. Rwandan-backed armed groups in Congo also use the money from the mines to fund the conflict that has killed thousands of people.
DR Congo has previously lodged complaints against Apple subsidiaries in France and Belgium, claiming it has used conflict minerals, according to the BBC on December 17th 2024.
Apple has denied continuing to source materials from Congo, claiming it has stopped the importation and uses recycled sources in its batteries. They called the allegations “baseless” and claimed that they enforce a strict Supplier Code of Conduct.
The rights group has filed a suit against Apple to seek a ruling that Apple has breached consumer protection laws, an injunction to stop the claimed deceptive marketing, and a reimbursement of legal fees. It does not pursue any damages or class certification, however.
The UN and Global Witness had traced the minerals smuggled through Rwanda to Apple’s supply chain, and a University of Nottingham study also found forced labour and children working in mines traced back to the supply chain.
The International Rights Advocates had previously sued Tesla and other tech companies over their sourcing of conflict minerals, but the US Court dismissed the case in 2024.
Reuters, BBC, Maghrebi.org
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