International Rights Advocates (IRAdvocates) has filed a lawsuit in Washington accusing Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) of using minerals tied to conflict and human rights abuses in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda.
The complaint alleges that cobalt, tin, tantalum, and tungsten linked to forced labor, child labor, and armed groups still enter the firm's supply chain. Apple denies the claims and says it ordered suppliers in 2024 to halt sourcing from the region.
This is not IRAdvocates' first action. The group previously sued Apple, Tesla, and other firms in U.S. courts over cobalt sourcing, but that case was dismissed. DRC filed a similar complaint in Europe last year, but French prosecutors dropped it, citing a lack of evidence.
Apple told Reuters it maintains "the industry's strongest sourcing standards" and that 99% of cobalt in its batteries now comes from recycled sources. The company insists it sees "no reasonable basis" for links to armed groups.
Still, a recent University of Nottingham study found forced and child labor at mine sites allegedly connected to Apple-linked suppliers. Furthermore, UN investigators have also documented widespread smuggling of coltan, tin, tungsten, and cobalt from eastern DRC into Rwanda.
The smuggling of minerals from eastern DRC into neighboring Rwanda has reached unprecedented levels," UN experts stated in a July report. The organization explained how rebel groups tax mines, seize transport routes, and move ore across the border under falsified labels.
As a result, commodity traders find it increasingly difficult to verify whether the resources they move come from conflict zones and directly fund the war. Yet, that is their responsibility.
Funding Insurgence
Early this year, the M23 group seized Goma and Bukavu, tightening control over major mining hubs including the Rubaya coltan mine. The key asset, which lies about 50 kilometers northwest of Goma, accounts for roughly 15% of global coltan supply. The region is also rich in so-called 3T minerals (tin, tantalum, and tungsten).
The UN believes the rebels smuggle these minerals into Rwanda, which then inflates the domestic production. In 2024, the country officially produced 350 tons of tantalum, yet exported 715 tons. Although President Donald Trump brokered a peace agreement between the DRC and Rwanda, the M23 remains an independent threat.
Apple claims clean sourcing, yet IRAdvocates argues the firm's accounting practices permit mixing recycled materials with newly mined ore. The group's case is that assurances do not guarantee complete traceability and may obscure continued reliance on conflict-linked metals.
At the time of publishing, Apple has not responded to the request for comment.
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