Apple faces ‘blood minerals’ probe

Lawyers for the Democratic Republic of the Congo have confirmed the appointment of a magistrate to investigate the charges

Belgium has launched an investigation into allegations that US tech giant Apple incorporated “blood minerals” from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) into its supply chain, the Financial Times reported on Monday.

A Belgian investigating magistrate has been appointed following criminal complaints filed by the DRC in December, accusing Apple subsidiaries of sourcing the minerals. Leo Fastenakel, a lawyer representing the Congolese government in Belgium, confirmed the appointment, describing the judge as “serious and rigorous,” although the name has not been disclosed.

The DRC filed complaints in both France and Belgium last month, alleging that Apple’s subsidiaries utilized minerals “looted” from conflict regions in the east of the country.

International legal representatives for the DRC argue that Apple is complicit in crimes committed by armed groups controlling mining operations in the region. The country remains the world’s leading producer of cobalt, a key component in batteries for consumer electronics, including smartphones and electric vehicles.

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The DRC has been plagued by decades of violence, particularly in the east, linked to dozens of armed groups, including M23 militants, who are fighting the government for resources.

A report titled ‘Blood Minerals’, published last year by the Washington-based law firm Amsterdam & Partners LLP, claimed that armed groups and companies were smuggling minerals mined in the DRC through neighboring Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi. These resources were then allegedly “integrated into the global supply chain.” The firm reported that it had alerted major tech companies, including Apple, Intel, Sony, and Motorola, that the metals purchased from Rwanda were acquired from the DRC through “violent exploitation.”

READ MORE: DR Congo sues Apple over ‘blood minerals’

Apple has strongly denied the allegations. In a statement issued in December, the company said it had instructed its suppliers earlier in 2024 not to source the disputed minerals from the DRC or Rwanda. The tech giant announced the same stance in a March 2024 filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, stating: “We found no reasonable basis for concluding that any of the smelters or refiners of 3TG determined to be in our supply chain… directly or indirectly financed or benefited armed groups in the DRC.”