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Big Tech uses illegal Amazon gold: report
According to an investigation by non-profit Repórter Brasil, Apple and Microsoft cell phones and computers, as well as Google and Amazon super servers, use gold illegally extracted from the Brazilian Amazon in their circuits. The report cites securities documents that list Italy’s Chimet and Brazil’s Marsam in the Big Tech firms’ supply chains.
Who are they? Chimet is under investigation by the Federal Police for allegedly receiving minerals from illegal mining ventures inside indigenous lands. Marsam battles accusations of acquiring illegal gold.
Why it matters. Since the beginning of the pandemic, prices of precious metals soared and the Amazon experienced a gold rush of sorts. And illegal mining sites are often associated with violence — particularly against indigenous populations.
The problem. A 2021 study shows that 28 percent...