A U.S.-based advocacy group has filed a lawsuit in Washington accusing Apple of sourcing minerals linked to conflict and human rights abuses in DRC and Rwanda, despite repeated denials from the iPhone maker. International Rights Advocates (IRAdvocates), which has previously sued Apple, Tesla, and other tech firms over cobalt sourcing, claims Apple’s supply chain still involves cobalt, tin, tantalum, and tungsten tied to child and forced labour as well as armed groups in DRC and Rwanda. The group filed the complaint Tuesday in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
The lawsuit highlights three Chinese smelters Ningxia Orient, JiuJiang JinXin, and Jiujiang Tanbre, that allegedly processed coltan smuggled through Rwanda after armed groups seized mines in eastern DRC. A 2025 University of Nottingham study cited in the complaint reportedly found forced and child labour at DRC sites connected to Apple suppliers.
Apple has denied wrongdoing, stating its audits and supplier code of conduct ensure minerals are not sourced from conflict zones or linked to forced labour. In December, the company said there was “no reasonable basis” to conclude any smelters or refiners in its supply chain funded armed groups in DRC or neighbouring countries. The lawsuit seeks a court determination that Apple’s actions violate consumer protection laws, requests an injunction to halt allegedly deceptive marketing, and aims to recover legal costs. It does not seek monetary damages or class certification.
DRC, a key supplier of cobalt, tin, tantalum, and tungsten used in phones, batteries, and computers, supplies roughly 70% of the world’s cobalt. Rwanda and DRC authorities did not immediately comment. Apple reports that 76% of cobalt in its devices was recycled in 2024, but the lawsuit alleges that its accounting methods allow mixing with ore from conflict zones, keeping questions over the company’s mineral sourcing alive.