http://www.newsweek.com/2015/02/13/where-apple-gets-tantalum-your-iphone-304351.html
Where Apple Gets the Tantalum for Your iPhone
"Nobody likes to think his or her iPhone was made from minerals derived from a country where warlords and mass rapists profit from the mines. So a year ago, Apple made a bold claim: It had audited smelters in its supply chain and none of them used tantalum from war-torn regions in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
While Apple acknowledged that it could not make the same claim for gold, tin and tungsten—three other important commodities essential to modern electronics but mined in war zones—the announcement about tantalum was an important step for human rights advocates who have long called for more transparency from international companies.
But how can Apple be so sure?
Demolish Your Debt With This 18-Month 0% Intro APR Card
Sponsored Content
Demolish Your Debt With This 18-Month 0% Intro APR Card
By CompareCards
COMPARE NOW
Experts note the widespread smuggling of ore across porous borders in areas racked by conflict, with scarce paper trails for ore mined by villagers in small artisanal mines in countries where warlords control exports. Moreover, audit procedures at smelters in China and Russia are opaque and vulnerable to corruption. “We’re concerned that the audit procedures are not as transparent as they should be,” says Sasha Lezhnev, who oversees DRC conflict minerals issues at the Enough Project, part of the Center for American Progress think tank."