A year-long Global Witness investigation finds that conflict coltan smuggled from war-torn DRC is reaching global markets despite existing due diligence systems. The Rubaya mines in North Kivu, producing around 15% of the world's tantalum, have been controlled by the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group since April 2024, generating an estimated US$800,000 per month for the group, according to a UN estimate. Once in Rwanda, the coltan is laundered through the ITSCI traceability scheme, and RMI audits passed by all eight smelters processing Rwandan coltan failed to detect these conflict links.

Amazon said " We're committed to providing products and services that are produced or supplied in a way that respects human rights and the environment - in accordance with our Supply Chain Standards and all applicable laws. While we generally don't source from mine sites or smelters, we remain committed to responsible mineral sourcing and will continue engaging with suppliers and upstream partners on auditing mechanisms and smelter certification. We're requesting additional due diligence from Amazon suppliers associated with the smelters identified by this report."