Which gaming hardware companies may have funded armed conflict in 2025?

“Conflict minerals” refers to tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold—often shortened to 3TG—frequently mined in regions beset by corruption, armed conflict, slave labor and other human rights abuses. Those metals are components in most video game and computer hardware, from consoles and controllers to phones and PCs.

While ethical sourcing and recycling are possible, lengthy, opaque supply chains make thorough oversight difficult. Since 2013 the Dodd-Frank Act has required many U.S. public companies to file annual SEC reports about conflict minerals, and groups such as the Responsible Mineral Initiative provide auditing standards and reporting tools, though filings vary in detail and rigor.

Microsoft’s filings show a clearer audit trail than many rivals. It lists 266 smelters and refiners in its network, and says 85 percent have passed third-party audits or are undergoing them.

United States

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