Apple, Intel work to prevent use of conflict minerals mined in Africa
New rules related to electronic components are intended to stem the purchase of "conflict minerals" that fund wars in Central Africa, a measure supported by technology companies including Intel and Apple.
The terms of the Conflict-Free Smelter program apply to shipments of tin ore, tungsten, gold and coltan from the Congo and neighboring countries. The program was drawn up by the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition and Global E-Sustainability Initiative, in which both Apple and Intel play roles, according to Bloomberg.
Joining the technology companies will be the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which will also issue federal regulations designed to discourage the purchase of conflict minerals. The decision was made last July, when President Barack Obama signed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
The EICC and GeSI conflict stipulations backed by Apple went into effect on Friday. The organizations viewed them as necessary as electronic devices often rely on minerals such as tin and tantalum, which are mined in Central Africa.
"The CFS program aims to identify smelters that can demonstrate through an independent third-party assessment that the raw materials they procured did not originate from sources that contribute to conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo," the EICC said.
The program now requires full traceability and due diligence on all material purchased from the Congo and surrounding areas. Smelters must be certified as conflict-free for the purchase to be compliant.
Smelters, who extract iron and copper, have reportedly stopped buying minerals from exporters in Goma, which is the center of the Congo's tin ore trade. Miners in that area are said to be unable to comply with the new rules yet.
Central Africa represents just one area of the world where electronic devices, including those made by Apple, are connected to controversial issues. For years, Apple has worked to improve working conditions on the other side of the globe in Asia as well.
In February, Apple issued its annual audit of overseas suppliers, revealing that it terminated business with a facility that employed 42 underage workers. The company also detailed how it banned the use of n-hexane gas, a poisonous chemical that some workers were exposed to last year, and also commissioned an independent review of a number of suicides at the main plant of device assembler Foxconn.
For years, Apple has also offered (Product) Red versions of iPod models, in an effort to raise awareness and funds to address the AIDS epidemic in Africa. Those funds go to The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
Apple still maintains a section of its site devoted to (Product) Red, and boasts that the program has generated more than $160 million for the Global fund since its introduction. Its latest-generation iPod nano, with a multi-touch display, also comes in a (Product) Red version.
The terms of the Conflict-Free Smelter program apply to shipments of tin ore, tungsten, gold and coltan from the Congo and neighboring countries. The program was drawn up by the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition and Global E-Sustainability Initiative, in which both Apple and Intel play roles, according to Bloomberg.
Joining the technology companies will be the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which will also issue federal regulations designed to discourage the purchase of conflict minerals. The decision was made last July, when President Barack Obama signed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
The EICC and GeSI conflict stipulations backed by Apple went into effect on Friday. The organizations viewed them as necessary as electronic devices often rely on minerals such as tin and tantalum, which are mined in Central Africa.
"The CFS program aims to identify smelters that can demonstrate through an independent third-party assessment that the raw materials they procured did not originate from sources that contribute to conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo," the EICC said.
The program now requires full traceability and due diligence on all material purchased from the Congo and surrounding areas. Smelters must be certified as conflict-free for the purchase to be compliant.
Smelters, who extract iron and copper, have reportedly stopped buying minerals from exporters in Goma, which is the center of the Congo's tin ore trade. Miners in that area are said to be unable to comply with the new rules yet.
Central Africa represents just one area of the world where electronic devices, including those made by Apple, are connected to controversial issues. For years, Apple has worked to improve working conditions on the other side of the globe in Asia as well.
In February, Apple issued its annual audit of overseas suppliers, revealing that it terminated business with a facility that employed 42 underage workers. The company also detailed how it banned the use of n-hexane gas, a poisonous chemical that some workers were exposed to last year, and also commissioned an independent review of a number of suicides at the main plant of device assembler Foxconn.
For years, Apple has also offered (Product) Red versions of iPod models, in an effort to raise awareness and funds to address the AIDS epidemic in Africa. Those funds go to The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
Apple still maintains a section of its site devoted to (Product) Red, and boasts that the program has generated more than $160 million for the Global fund since its introduction. Its latest-generation iPod nano, with a multi-touch display, also comes in a (Product) Red version.
Comments
I say we take off and nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
Jan 2009 the list price of 2" type L copper water tube was $11.29/ft, Feb 2011 the list price is up
to $31.16/ft. Your Apple uses copper, right? It would be cheaper for Apple just to buy those small nations and hire some MS thugs to enforce the new rules.
Apple is larger buyer of conflict aluminum.
LARGEST SELLER OF ARMS IN THE WORLD: US Government
so lets stop pretending thats we are not causing conflicts : WAKE UP
If we stood up and demanded that our government cease selling arms all over the world there would be alot less people getting killed
I hope the country implements this policy on all conflict regions, so we stop buy oil from the middle east.
LARGEST SELLER OF ARMS IN THE WORLD: US Government
so lets stop pretending thats we are not causing conflicts : WAKE UP
If we stood up and demanded that our government cease selling arms all over the world there would be alot less people getting killed
I think you might mean "US arms suppliers", not the government.
I think you might mean "US arms suppliers", not the government.
Well our government sure approves of it.
I think you might mean "US arms suppliers", not the government.
Um, don't arms exports require the OK of the US government?
For what it takes to export software (which is considered a munition), I'd hate to see the process for exporting weaponry.
As for Apple and Intel, good for them. Unknowingly having money funneled into wars is one thing, KNOWING where it's going is another.
LARGEST SELLER OF ARMS IN THE WORLD: US Government
so lets stop pretending thats we are not causing conflicts : WAKE UP
If we stood up and demanded that our government cease selling arms all over the world there would be alot less people getting killed
I whole-heartedly disagree with the U.S.' willy-nilly distribution of arms. However, to imply that it increases the killing or is the cause of the conflicts is ignorant of human behavior and ignores some of the bloodiest African conflicts in recent history.
The Rwandan genocide was carried out almost exclusively with blades that were in no way tied to the U.S. Nearly a million people hacked to death and U.S.A. arms were almost invisible. Mugabe's land grabs have also been more hand to hand with fewer guns and bullets. Neither conflict has been caused or carried out with much U.S. arms influence.
The causes of these conflicts run far deeper than the weapons being available.
Off topic: Lord of War (2005) is a good movie.
What's the gist and message?
What's the gist and message?
? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke79K4bO4P8 (Trailer)
? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_of_War
? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke79K4bO4P8 (Trailer)
? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_of_War
Thanks. I'll check it out.
Apple is largest buyer of conflict aluminum. True story.
Source? Link? Thanks.
Apple is largest buyer of conflict aluminum. True story.
solipsism ... I'm curious as to why you would bother to add the phrase .... "true story" .... to your remark, which has the effect of changing it from an "opinion" to "a fact" .... without bothering to provide a link? You must have one, don't you? I'm sure you wouldn't want to be thought of as ... "just another troll" .... would you?
solipsism ... I'm curious as to why you would bother to add the phrase .... "true story" .... to your remark, which has the effect of changing it from an "opinion" to "a fact" .... without bothering to provide a link? You must have one, don't you? I'm sure you wouldn't want to be thought of as ... "just another troll" .... would you?
I guess it?s a regional usage. It?s said before or after a phrase to signify a tongue-in-cheek comment.
Considering a recent stat that 75% of all aluminium mined since 1888 is still in use I can?t image, nor have I ever heard of, conflict aluminium.
For those who don't know, De Beers controls the prices of the diamond markets across the world.
Congo diamonds threatened the gigantic profits of De Beers, therefore they created the notion of conflict diamonds. They pumped millions of Rand (South African currency) into the conflict diamonds story, which by the way wasn't true.
Now there is this story about conflict everything-else. Congo will never pull itself out of poverty if it can't sell its own products. De Beers greed and their attempt to control the diamond market might be responsible for preventing a nation from helping itself.
The Congo government does get some money from the natural resources but not everything.
By the way, diamonds are such a common type of rock it is amazing that they cost so much. I know a jewelry retailer who buys gold jewelry. If the diamonds in a ring are smaller than three-quarter carats in a piece of gold jewelry that he intends to melt, he just leaves them in to be burned up during the process.
EDIT: +1 to Smallwheels for pulling aside the curtain of bullshit. I love that people, especially in the US, love to bash "big corporations" and "obscene profit" but if you dare suggest they are a complete and utter fool for buying into the whole diamond engagement ring ponzi scheme they act as if you shot their dog
De Beers is the biggest purveyor of greed and misery in the entire planet. They make the oil sheiks look like a bunch of pansies.