These minerals, referred to as the 3Ts—tin, tantalum, and tungsten—are critical components in electronic devices such as computers and smartphones.  

The DRC is a major global supplier of 3T minerals, but its artisanal mining sector has long been associated with significant human rights abuses. According to United Nations experts and human rights organisations, armed groups control some of the mines, committing atrocities including massacres, mass rapes, and looting, while financing their activities through mineral sales.  

Apple has denied direct sourcing of primary minerals and claims to audit suppliers, fund initiatives to improve traceability and publish findings.

However, international lawyers representing the DRC argue that Apple profits from minerals pillaged from the country and laundered through global supply chains, making the company complicit in crimes committed in the region.  

In a Channel Africa interview, Smith Etumba Kashinde, a former African Union Youth Charter representative for the DRC and an expert on money laundering and conflict financing, provided insight into the allegations.

He highlighted how the DRC's eastern region, rich in minerals, has become a focal point for armed groups and multinational exploitation.  

Kashinde explained that although the DRC government has introduced measures, such as establishing regulated centres for mineral sales, the ongoing conflict undermines these efforts.

"The government is unable to fully control the mineral-rich areas due to the presence of armed groups," he said, adding that minerals are often illegally exported and enter international markets as "blood minerals," tainted by violence and exploitation.  

The accusations against Apple underscore the broader issue of resource exploitation in the DRC by multinational corporations.

Kashinde emphasised that addressing the issue requires not only legal accountability but also political and diplomatic action to curb illegal mineral trade and protect the region's resources.  

--ChannelAfrica--