Some of the gold illegally extracted from Brazilian indigenous lands is being used in computers from Apple and Microsoft, as well as in super-servers from Google and Amazon, according to a journalistic investigation published by the portal Reporter Brazil.

Documents obtained by portal revealed that these technology giants bought, in 2020 and 2021, gold from several refiners, including the Italian Chimet, investigated by the Brazilian Federal Police for being the destination of ore illegally extracted from the Kayapó indigenous land, and the company Marsam, whose supplier is accused by the Federal Public Ministry of causing environmental damage due to the purchase of illegal gold.

Mining on Brazilian indigenous lands violates the country's constitution, despite the efforts of the current Brazilian government led by President, Jair Bolsonaro, to legalize it.

According to Repórter Brasil, the finding that the four technology companies were using illegal gold mined in Brazil occurred because Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon are required to send the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) a list of their suppliers, not only of gold, but also of tin, tungsten, and tantalum, and it was in these documents that the deals with the Brazilian and Italian companies under investigation were proven.

"The documents refer to purchases made in 2020 and 2021, but reports prior to these also featured the two refiners as suppliers," according to Reporter Brazil.

Of the four companies mentioned, only Apple responded when asked about the case.

In May, Apple sent out a note saying that its "responsible sourcing standards are the best in the industry and strictly prohibit the use of illegally mined minerals."

Two months after that first contact, the report again questioned Apple, which said in a note that it had removed Marsam from the supplier list. Chimet, however, continues as a supplier.

Google, Microsoft and Amazon said they would not comment, but did not deny having bought from Chimet and Marsam. The emails sent by Repórter Brasil detailed the various socio-environmental damages caused by illegal garimpo in the Amazon, as well as the investigation by the Federal Police and Brazilian prosecutors.

Illegal mining is considered by environmentalists to be one of the main threats to the Brazilian Amazon and, according to them, it is far from operating in an artisanal manner, as required by Brazilian law.

Although some countries have regulations controlling the import of gold and other minerals extracted from high-risk areas, such as indigenous and environmental reserves, Brazil is not on this list. (DN)