Apple, Google, Microsoft, Amazon Reportedly Buy Gold from Illegal Brazilian Miners

Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon are reportedly buying their gold from suppliers linked to illegal miners in Brazil.

These United States-based renowned tech giants appear to be sourcing their gold for their products and services from illegal mining operations in the Latin American nation.

Apple, Google, Microsoft, Amazon Buy Illegally Mined Gold

As per the latest new story by 9to5 Mac, a local Brazilian news outlet, Reporter Brasil, exposed that four renowned tech firms are linked to illegal gold mining in the indigenous locations in the Brazilian part of the Amazon rainforest.

Reporter Brasil cited its report to documents confirming that tech giants like Apple and Google have been buying gold from illegal miners from 2020 to 2021.

It is worth noting that mining in general is actually illegal in the indigenous lands in the Brazilian territory.

Despite that, this does not stop massive illegal mining operations in the Latin American country from illicitly extracting natural resources from these prohibited locations.

However, 9to5 Mac notes in its report that the authorities in the country, specifically the Brazilian Federal Police, have already begun their investigation of the gold refineries linked with these tech behemoths for their illegal mining operations.

The documents seen by the local newspaper in Brazil claim that Google, Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon have purchased gold from two illegal refineries in the country, namely Marsam and Chimet.

Apple, Microsoft Gold

According to a recent report by Apple Insider, both the iPhone maker and Microsoft reportedly used the illegally mined gold in the production of their smartphones, PCs, and Macs.

The Cupertino-based tech giant tells Reporter Brasil that it has already stopped getting its gold from Marsam, which is currently being investigated by the authorities in the country.

But it should be noted that Apple failed to mention if it has ever sourced its gold from the other illegal refinery, Chimet.

On top of that, Apple further highlighted its high standards in its partnerships, noting that it tirelessly searches for suppliers that have high regard for sustainability.

The iPhone maker sure looks pretty serious about taking care of the environment. Its website and the United States Securities and Exchange Commission filing heavily mentions its dedication to sustainability.

Google, Amazon Gold

On the other hand, the documents say that both Amazon and Google have also sourced their gold from illegal mining operations in Brazil.

Both tech giants reportedly used the illegally sourced gold in the production of their servers, as both firms host websites with high traffic from visitors in various parts of the world.