At Intel’s CES opening keynote, the company announced that in 2014, every microprocessor it ships will be free of conflict minerals. It’s a wonderful and welcome step forward, and makes you look a little side-eyed at the PC you bought, uh, before now.
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Most people who own a smartphone—or a laptop, or a new car—aren’t familiar with tantalum, the rare, blue-gray metal that conducts electricity through these devices. But thanks to skyrocketing demand from electronics makers, tantalum—along with a handful of other rare minerals—is an incredibly sought-after metal. And it’s fueling the ongoing conflict in Congo.
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It’s spent the last few months talking up its ambitious plan to produce what it describes as a more ethical smartphone, and Dutch startup Fairphone is now one fairly big step closer to realizing that goal. The company hit its production target of 5,000 pre-orders yesterday, with eight days still left in its initial campaign that will see early customers get a “limited edition” version of the phone for €325 (or roughly $425). While the phone itself appears to be a relatively capable device (if a tad behind the curve in terms of specs), its real selling point is of course how it’s made. Fairphone is promising to use conflict-free resources in its construction, and says that it’s working with its factory in China to ensure better working conditions and wages; three euros from each phone sold will also go to a program that works to remove electronic waste from Ghana.
Speaking to ZDNet, Fairphone’s Miquel Ballester does admit that “we are not 100 percent conflict-free,” suggesting that’s all but impossible given the current state of the industry where the “supply chain has become so difficult.” He also notes, however, that “this is just the start,” and that they hope to make more changes as the company grows in scale. Those interested in can find out more about the phone (and get their pre-order in) at the links below.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
Source: Fairphone
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