Apple (IW500/3) said that it is now auditing 100% of its suppliers for the use of conflict minerals linked to violent militia groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
As reported by Emily Chasan of Bloomberg, the company said all of its 242 smelters and refiners of tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold are now subject to third-party audits.
Apple uses the minerals in its mobile phone processors, motherboards and screen displays.
That figure is up from about 88% at the end of 2014 and 44% in 2013, according to an annual filing by the company.
Material Handling & Logistics is an IndustryWeek companion site within Penton's Manufacturing & Supply Chain Group.