Tin mined in Congo under poor working conditions ends up in laptops, mobile phones and MP3 players

A new study shows that working conditions for the miners who work in these tin mines are often inhuman and profits are used to fuel armed conflicts. makeITfair, a new network of organisations from across Europe, is calling on companies such as Sony, Nokia, Hewlett-Packard and Philips to start addressing the ethical and environmental issues related to the purchasing of metals for consumer electronics – often known as IT (information technology).

A new report from makeITfair’s Finnish information producer, FinnWatch – hosted by the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation – reveals that more than a third of the world’s tin goes into electronic solders that connect components to circuit boards in products such as mobile phones, laptops and MP3 players. Some of the tin originates from the eastern part of the DRC, where tin ore is one of the most important minerals mined. Part of the income goes straight to the pockets of armed groups.

Päivi Pöyhönen at FinnWatch says: “Miners in the eastern DRC work under very dangerous conditions. In 2006 alone, ten fatal accidents were reported in one of the most mineral rich mines. These artisanal miners earn as little as 1 or 2 Euros per day.”

Finnwatch has followed trade routes from the DRC’s tin ore mines towards big Asian tin producers and global solder producers, which in turn supply solders to component and contract manufacturers and the big electronics brands.

Tin mining is also problematic in other countries. In Indonesia, the world’s second biggest tin producer, tin mining has caused environmental destruction of the islands of Bangka and Belitung, the country’s main tin production area. Forest and water sources, as well as species of flora and fauna, have been lost due to tin mining.

Currently, none of the market leading consumer electronics companies are dealing with these risks, even though metals play an essential role in their electronic gadgets. makeITfair is calling on these companies to play their part by taking responsibility for human rights and labour abuses in their supply chain.

“Even though the consumer electronics industry is a significant consumer of many metals, and many of these metals are extracted in high-risk countries such as China, Russia and various African states, the industry does little to address the problems,” says Esther de Haan from makeITfair’s Dutch partner, SOMO.“So far most of the companies have not tried to investigate where their metals come from. We urge them to do this and to start to make IT fair for people everywhere.”