Tech companies, including Apple, were buying gold from Brazil through an illegal mining process

 
Local newspapers report that US tech companies such as Apple were buying gold from suppliers on indigenous Brazilian lands in the Amazon rainforest.

Illegal money used on Apple smartphones and PCs

According to Repórter Brasil, tech companies such as Apple, Microsoft, Google and Amazon purchased gold from multiple refiners such as Chimet and Marsam between 2020 and 2021. Both companies are currently under investigation in Brazil for illegal procurement and production.
 
Gold mined from illegal locations was used for production on smartphones and PCs from both Apple and Microsoft. It is reported that part of the money was also used to produce servers for Google and Amazon.

May lead to increased organized crime as well as environmental destruction

According to local newspapers, gold mined through illegal processes leads to pollution and deforestation, as well as illegal operations leading to increased organized crime. Indigenous infringement has been on the rise in recent years, with an estimated 28% of Brazilian gold being illegally mined.
 
Asked for comment, Apple allegedly made a statement about the environment in a local newspaper stating that it would no longer buy gold from Marsam.
 
 
Source: Repórter Brasil via 9to5Mac
Photo: Marsam
(lexi)

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