The Apple Core

Jason D. O'Grady & David Morgenstern

Jobs: ‘No way to be sure’ iPhone minerals are conflict-free

By Jason D. O'Grady | June 28, 2010, 5:38pm PDT

Summary: An email from Steve Jobs indicates that although Apple requires its suppliers to certify that they use conflict-free minerals there is “no way” for the company to be certain.

Apple customer Derick Rhodes was shocked after reading in the New York Times about the conflict raging in the Congo which supplies many of the minerals that end up in gadgets like mobile phones, computers and game consoles.

The minerals have been dubbed “conflict minerals” in a nod to the conflict diamonds — according to Wikipedia, those mined in a war zone and sold to finance an insurgency, invading army’s war efforts, or a warlord’s activity, usually in Africa.

Since Rhodes was in the market to purchase an iPhone, he fired off an email to Apple CEO Steve Jobs asking about the source of the minerals used in the iPhone:

Hi Steve,

I’d planned to buy a new iPhone tomorrow – my first upgrade since buying the very first version on the first day of its release – but I’m hesitant without knowing Apple’s position on sourcing the minerals in its products.

Are you currently making any effort to source conflict-free minerals? In particular, I’m concerned that Apple is getting tantalum, tungsten, tin, and gold from Eastern Congo through its suppliers.

Looking forward to your response,
Derick

Jobs responded:

Yes. We require all of our suppliers to certify in writing that they use conflict few materials. But honestly there is no way for them to be sure. Until someone invents a way to chemically trace minerals from the source mine, it’s a very difficult problem.

Sent from my iPhone

Wired verified the authenticity of the email response and suggested that Jobs’ use of “conflict few” was a typo for “conflict free” which they attributed to the email coming from his iPhone.

Tip: Wired, Photo: Mark Craemer

Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily e-mail newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.

More from “The Apple Core”

Windows IT managers: The iPad's next growth market

The journalist's bible gets iPhone update

Topics

Apple iPhone, Job, Mineral, Recruitment & Staffing, Smart Phones, Workforce Management, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, Jason D. O'Grady

Jason O'Grady is a journalist and author specializing in mobile technology. He has published six books on Apple and mobile gadgets and his PowerPage blog has been publishing for over 15 years.

Full Bio
Disclosure
Contact

Vendor HotSpot

The 360° Conversation around Cloud Computing

TECH VISUALIZER brings the social conversation to life... powered by Brocade

Learn More »

Related Discussions on TechRepublic

Did you know you can take part in these discussions with your ZDNet membership?

Ask a Question Start a Discussion

Comments

Add Your Opinion

Join the conversation!

Follow via:: RSS; Email Alert

Just In

RE: Jobs: 'No way to be sure' iPhone minerals are conflict-free

non-biased 1st Jul 2010

@No Blood Minerals

Nice fantasy but it's not going to happen like that. The vast majority of consumers decide with their wallets, not their moral values. It would be great if all companies were able (not really possible) to guarantee the materials used in their products are conflict-free but it would cost more which would raise the retail cost of their products. They would get praised for their efforts but would see sales drop if their retail prices head above the competition. This alone will keep this from happening.

View in thread

Please Select
Please Select

0 Votes

+ -

Fascinating

Mister Spock 28th Jun 2010

A company as large as Apple that can not verify where the material for their products originate from, even after receiving written assurances.
plain

Reply
Flag

0 Votes

+ -

Apple and Foxconn is a problem, Minerals.. NOT

Uralbas 28th Jun 2010

Minerals are FoxConn's issue. They are in China, and they don't care, just take a look at what reports say about working for Foxconn.

Apple should choose its suppliers better. Making profit is good, making profit at the expense of integrity is wrong, and Apple is walking a fine line here.

If Apple's products keep on failing with more issues:

- Lost Calls... Antenna issue.. Apple should provide free jackets
- Screen Issues -- Apple should replace units
- FaceTime -- Well this seems like a software issue easy fix.
- Camera -- Same as above

Apple has had a history of providing problematic products in the past, (eg infineon chips???). Its users have for the most part ignored these issues.

Its up to the users to determine what they should demand from Apple. But considering their profit margins, at the very least they should provide solutions for free and not ask users to pony up more money, that's just bad business all around.

Reply
Flagged

0 Votes

+ -

China is a massive issue in Africa

Richard Flude 28th Jun 2010

But with the world they way it is today nobody is going to say anything. Sad really.

0 Votes

+ -

You've got it completely backwards

Falkirk 28th Jun 2010

@Uralbas said: "Apple has had a history of providing problematic products in the past." Oh please! They do not. You can pick out specific issues from any company but year after year after year, product after product after product Apple has, BY FAR, some of highest user ratings in the industry or any industry. No company or product is error free, but your statement has it completely backwards. In reality, Apple has had a history of providing some of the best designed, most liked products on the market.

0 Votes

+ -

honest

banned from zdnet 29th Jun 2010

@Uralbas
at least apple is giving an honest answer and not some pr drivel. foxconn is producing for sony, hp, dell, nokia, nintendo and apple among many others. where is your outrage here? otherwise your post is just the usual hypocrisy of an apple hater.

0 Votes

+ -

And the same is true of HTC, Dell, Samsung...

Bruizer 29th Jun 2010

@Uralbas

More comments from the mentally challenged unable to actually think for themselves.

One of the reasons the electronics I write software for have CPU cards that cost $5,000 is because we CAN track the origin of the materials. 5K for a processor card with a 132 MHz processor and 2 MB of RAM.

Until people are willing to pay 3K for a DVD player, 15K for a 30" LCD TV, 2K for a cell phone, 250K for a Kia Soul, what Steve Jobs said is very true.

0 Votes

+ -

If this is failure...

godsfault 29th Jun 2010

@Uralbas You are a citizen of this universe, aren't you. If Apple is "failing," gimme some of that failure.

You need a reality check, my friend.

0 Votes

+ -

RE: Jobs: 'No way to be sure' iPhone minerals are conflict-free

RationalGuy 29th Jun 2010

@Mister Spock ... Every electronics manufacturer is in the same boat here. This is not an Apple-only problem.

Reply
Flag

0 Votes

+ -

Name me one company that can.

vulpine@... 29th Jun 2010

@Mister Spock: For claiming that name, your ability to use logic is abysmal.

Reply
Flag

0 Votes

+ -

RE: Jobs: 'No way to be sure' iPhone minerals are conflict-free

dheady@... 29th Jun 2010

@Mister Spock The last I heard no one is importing minerals from Eden. They are all from Earth, a planet where conflict rages everywhere. Pretty much a PC (politically correct) story that only illustrates how ridiculous the 'issue' is.

Reply
Flag

0 Votes

+ -

It's unfortunate.

TripleII-21189418044173169409978279405827 28th Jun 2010

I don't see Apple being able to do much more than get the assurance in writing. If they lie, someone expose them, Apple may change, but really, this is a non-story. The user in question can't be guaranteed the plastic holding his peaches didn't come from blood money wells in Nigeria, or that his remote doesn't have the same problem as his iPhone.

TripleII

Reply
Flagged

0 Votes

+ -

Can't edit.

TripleII-21189418044173169409978279405827 28th Jun 2010

@TripleII
I try to edit the above to add "expose them (the supplier that is)" but each time I try and hit "submit" I see the messages "This has been reported as spam".

TripleII

Reply
Flag

0 Votes

+ -

The new talkback system is infuriating

Richard Flude 28th Jun 2010

Tracing raw materials for every product is a real challenge.

0 Votes

+ -

When you edit..

oncall Updated - 28th Jun 2010

@TripleII

You have to delete the {br} and hit return to put in proper paragraph breaks. Yes the new forum editing SUCKS which is saying a lot for a web site run by supposed IT professionals

0 Votes

+ -

Message has been deleted.

The Danger is Microsoft Updated - 30th Jun 2010

0 Votes

+ -

RE: Jobs: 'No way to be sure' iPhone minerals are conflict-free

7mgte 28th Jun 2010

It's no mystery that Apple has no clue where any minerals that go in an iPhone come from - designed in USA, made in China like the rest of the stuff they sell. Actually, China is just about the world's biggest producer of minerals, but I suppose there are a few that come from other countries. Of course, given China's latest materials resource buying spree, the mines in Africa are probably owned by them anyway.

Reply
Flag

0 Votes

+ -

true

banned from zdnet 29th Jun 2010

@7mgte
but do you also understand that your statement holds true for any other company? dell, hp, nokia, sony, nintendo, everyone is producing at the same suppliers in china nowadays.

Reply
Flag

0 Votes

+ -

RE: Jobs: 'No way to be sure' iPhone minerals are conflict-free

7mgte 29th Jun 2010

@banned from zdnet

Absolutely understand that it applies to everyone! And the problem is way bigger than a lot of folks understand. For example, the current administration is touting the need for energy indepnedance by going to green technologies. Guess what? There are many minerals, etc for which China is the world's primary supplier that go into all the green technologies. End result: trading energy dependance for mineral (& technology) dependance. All those "green jobs" that will supposedly be created? Already in China.

Remember, the US business model is buy low, sell high. It applies to Apple, Wal-Mart, and green products. Low prices from China, high prices to the consumer, and CEOs get rich.

0 Votes

+ -

I dislike Apple generally - but posing the question is idiotic

croberts 28th Jun 2010

Honestly, trying to hold Apple to "conflict-free" minerals is the stupidest thing I have ever heard.

If that's the standard, then what about the general population using imported oil from the middle east? That's one conflict after another.

You want to nail Apple for something, how about exporting jobs overseas?

Reply
Flag

0 Votes

+ -

jobs

banned from zdnet 29th Jun 2010

@croberts
how about creating around 25.000 jobs in the us over the last decade? get your facts straight, than your apple dislike doesn't come off as clueless as it does now.

Reply
Flag

0 Votes

+ -

Facts? Where are yours?

croberts 29th Jun 2010

@banned from zdnet

Did you just pull a number out of the air to look impressive?

0 Votes

+ -

facts

banned from zdnet 29th Jun 2010

@croberts
apple had around 11.000 employees in 2001 and has around 36.000 now. most of them working in the us. have a look at their latest sec filling. you can find it on apple.com

0 Votes

+ -

What's idiotic is focusing on Apple

Palmetto_CharlieSpencer 29th Jun 2010

Their purchasing practices are no different from any other company in the industry. I've never owned an Apple device and don't plan to, but I'm getting tired of them painted as a pariah on supplier issues. Everybody else gets their components from the same companies; why is Apple expected to be different?

Reply
Flag

0 Votes

+ -

I stand corrected - maybe

croberts 29th Jun 2010

You don't say what these jobs are, but if they are nonsensical retail jobs at Apple stores, I'm not sure I'd count those.

There are approx 230 Apple stores in the US based on Apple's website. It doesn't say what the staffing levels are, but to provide proper customer service I think you'd need somewhere between 50 and 75 employees per store to cover all retail hours. Maybe more.

That means at least 50% of those job are low-end retail jobs, and probably more.

So that means Apple created somewhere between 5,000 or 10,000 non-retail jobs. I'll give them credit for those.

Reply
Flag

0 Votes

+ -

RE: Jobs: 'No way to be sure' iPhone minerals are conflict-free

msalzberg 29th Jun 2010

@croberts

Are you claiming that Wal-Mart doesn't employee a lot of people because they're 'low end retail' jobs?

In addition to paying the employee, Apple pays employer taxes. As of January, it pays for health insurance for part time employees, as well.

By any definition (other than yours, I guess), these people have jobs, which were created by Apple.

Reply
Flag

0 Votes

+ -

That's exactly what I'm claiming, and he's why...

croberts 29th Jun 2010

@msalzberg

Retail is tied to consumer spending, and that spending was done using credit and home-refinancing. Look at the mess that created.

Yes a retail job is better than no job, but growth in retail when it's driven by debt means we are all worse off because the buyers couldn't afford any of it.

Since Apple's staffing growth over the 10 years you quoted corresponded almost perfectly with the housing bubble and mortgage collapse, it is reasonable to conclude fake debt-driven demand fueled Apple's expansion. As such, Apple didn't grow the economy -- the economy downed the equivalent of a Red Bull and Apple was simply along for the ride.

0 Votes

+ -

RE: Jobs: 'No way to be sure' iPhone minerals are conflict-free

msalzberg Updated - 29th Jun 2010

@croberts

OK, just wanted to get it straight: A job that doesn't fit your definition isn't a job, even if it pays wages and benefits.

As for Apple's hiring being driven by fake demand, well, if A follows B, is B caused by A? While this logical fallacy may fit your admitted dislike of Apple, I'd like to see you come up with proof.

Either way, for you to claim that the employees of Apple aren't employed is ludicrous.

0 Votes

+ -

Amusing

croberts 29th Jun 2010

@msalzberg

You know perfectly well that I'm not claiming Apple employees aren't actually employed.

I'm saying that your position that Apple "created" 25,000 jobs is false. There are 25,000 more people working, but as a result of debt-ridden consumer demand. If anything, the 25,000 jobs should be attributed to the bank of your choice.

But the key distinction is that consumer demand due to people having wealth, and consumer demand due to people going into debt, are two different things.

You are right that those low-wage retail workers pay taxes etc. But no one can seriously claim the road to prosperity for an individual or a country begins in retail.

That is why I dismissed those retail jobs, because the true wealth-engine are the programmers, consultants, design engineers, etc that enable a knowledge-based economy. How many of those jobs did Apple create or support?

But like you said, a job is a job.

0 Votes

+ -

RE: Jobs: 'No way to be sure' iPhone minerals are conflict-free

msalzberg 29th Jun 2010

@croberts

OK, I'll go along with your assumption that Apple's expansion is due to fake debt-driven demand. But here's the point you don't seem to be getting: How many of these jobs would exist is Apple didn't open it's stores? Apple took a risk, for which it was ridiculed, and opened the Apple Stores. Others have tried and failed, and yet Apple has thousands of retail employees. For you to claim that Apple didn't create these jobs doesn't make sense.

0 Votes

+ -

croberts,

Palmetto_CharlieSpencer 29th Jun 2010

you're assuming all consumer purchasing is financed by debt. Plenty of people are able to live within their means and still afford consumer electronic devices.

0 Votes

+ -

I hope you are aware...

vulpine@... 29th Jun 2010

@croberts : ... that Apple is building a number of massive data facilities across the country, such as the one in North Carolina that is supposed to employ several hundred personnel, if I remember the reports correctly. Considering that I am aware of at least three of these facilities across the country, that alone could be anywhere up to 3,000 new jobs within the next year or so.

Reply
Flag

0 Votes

+ -

I had a "nonsensical" job in retail once...

godsfault 29th Jun 2010

@croberts but the money was real. Really, you come off as an elitist calling millions of jobs "nonsensical."

You want examples of "nonsenscial?" Your English and logic would serve.

Reply
Flag

0 Votes

+ -

Thanks for the personal attack

croberts Updated - 29th Jun 2010

@godsfault

0 Votes

+ -

RE: Jobs: 'No way to be sure' iPhone minerals are conflict-free

croberts 29th Jun 2010

@godsfault

@godsfault

I was never rude about my logic. And as far as being elitist, it is you that is confusing the job with the person doing the job.

I worked 3 years in food service... you yourself left retail. They are crummy jobs, and if there aren't companies creating better jobs then the opportunities you and I had disappear.

0 Votes

+ -

I know regulations are evil,

HypnoToad72 29th Jun 2010

but instead of using external factories and hoping and guessing all will be well in the land (ask any number of MacBook Pro, iMac, and iPhone owners of devices made this year with the broken screens and other problems), why not manufacture in this country and ensure a good product goes out the door? I mean, having to go back to correct problems ultimately costs more, and pretending products don't exist is the biggest turn-off a customer wants to ever trip over. Like how some MacBook Pros have problems with SSDs... sad

Reply
Flag

0 Votes

+ -

I give up.

godsfault 29th Jun 2010

@HypnoToad72 replying to these nonsensical posts like yours and croberts'. You guys need to get a clue about business and.........life!

Reply
Flag

0 Votes

+ -

I know regulations are bad,

HypnoToad72 29th Jun 2010

Reply
Flag

0 Votes

+ -

"... why not manufacture in this country..."

vulpine@... 29th Jun 2010

@HypnoToad72 "... and ensure a good product goes out the door?"
Personally, I could agree with you, but there's a drawback: Who would be willing to pay $5000 for a basic MacBook, for instance and maybe $10,000 or more for a Mac Pro? When you bring that labor and assembly back into the States, you also hit the Minimum Wage laws, the Health Insurance laws and who knows how many other money-draining regulations? Labor alone could drive the assembly costs up 500% or more, and that's totally discounting the labor of manufacturing the components, which means that their cost will go up as well. Of course, you could automate the complete assembly line to the point that you only have four or five employees responsible for assembling thousands of computers a day. Hmmm... so by bringing the assembly back to the States, you manage to employ 10% or less of the number of people now employed in China. Maybe a good thing if you want to bankrupt China, but then China might want to demand Payment in Full for all the loans they've made us over the years. Of course, they also owe us cash for so many things we've sold them or loaned them over the years...

Hey, does anybody really know who owes whom what nowadays?

Reply
Flag

0 Votes

+ -

The ring you gave your spouse probably had gold from a dead man's mouth

Davewrite 29th Jun 2010

seriously, metals especially precious ones are recycled.

the gold in your jewelry probably came from a gold tooth someone had, or was from a ring cut off from finger by a pirate or looted from Sumerian temple 4000 years ago.

Of course companies should act responsibly but that said a lot of information we get is distorted. Governments, businesses, environmental groups and all kinds of organizations are expert today in manipulating the news to their own ends.

I've have lived and worked in 3rd world countries for over 10 years and the most bizarre things happen. For all you know all this conflict stuff is because groups want to control various assets by depressing them? I was in a third world country once which had a bunch (like dozens) of Kentucky Fried Chickens opening up. Then local religious/political groups went into a frenzy saying they were foreign American and the meat was unfit as the animals weren't 'halal' (slaughtered properly in a religious manner). The KFCs suffered and almost went broke. Then a year or so later everything was fine, the religious/political group said KFC was great. Quietly they had bought controlling shares of the local KFC chain after the price went rock bottom! (true story).

Reply
Flag

0 Votes

+ -

RE: Jobs: 'No way to be sure' iPhone minerals are conflict-free

cbsimkins 29th Jun 2010

The raw materials are essentially fungible, like money. And like wealth, the materials cannot be traced completely. Someone was cheated, died or was otherwise damaged by almost anything you use in any fashion. Welcome to the world.

Reply
Flag

0 Votes

+ -

RE: Jobs: 'No way to be sure' iPhone minerals are conflict-free

No Blood Minerals 29th Jun 2010

Disappointing that Apple does not want to be seen as a leader in fighting against the usage of conflict minerals in electronics. The company that does will put themselves in an envious position as consumers will respect such a move and give their products preference.

No Blood Minerals
http://www.facebook.com/NoBloodMinerals
http://www.twitter.com/NoBloodMinerals