Congo's Legal Battle Against Apple Over Conflict Minerals Ends in French Court Dismissal

The Democratic Republic of Congo has lost its case against Apple in France regarding the use of conflict minerals—tin, tungsten, and tantalum—in iPhones. The Paris prosecutor has closed the case, which accused Apple of funding violent groups by using these materials. The complaint also alleged that the conflict mineral tracking body ITSCI should be discredited due to its funding by the metals industry. Despite this decision, an identical complaint was filed in Belgium, with no updates on its status. Apple previously dropped suppliers for violating conflict minerals rules in 2020 and 2022.