As Volkswagen ramps up its push toward electric mobility, a new investigation reveals that some of the minerals powering its vehicles may be tied to violence and human rights abuses in Africa.
According to a joint report by DW and De Groene Amsterdammer, several smelters linked to the trade in “conflict minerals” are part of Volkswagen’s complex global supply chain — despite the company’s efforts to ensure ethical sourcing.
Minerals fueling both innovation and conflict
Electric vehicles (EVs) rely heavily on four key raw materials known as 3TG: tantalum, tin, tungsten, and gold. These minerals are essential for building suspension systems, wiring, lighting, and electronic components due to their durability and conductivity.
Much of the global supply originates from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), home to vast mineral deposits — but also long plagued by armed conflict. Profits from illegal mining and mineral smuggling have been linked to rebel groups, making 3TG a major factor in the region’s instability.
VW’s suppliers under scrutiny
The investigation identified at least six smelters in Volkswagen’s supply chain that have been associated with conflict minerals by both the DRC and the European Union. These include tin processors Malaysia Smelting Corporation, Thailand’s Thaisarco, and China’s Yunnan Tin Company, as well as tantalum supplier Ningxia Orient Tantalum Industry.
For gold, DW found connections to the Gasabo Gold Refinery in Rwanda and the African Gold Refinery in Uganda — both accused by EU and UN experts of processing gold smuggled from eastern Congo. The Gasabo refinery was sanctioned by the EU in early 2025.
Volkswagen acknowledged the names of these smelters appeared in its reporting system but said this does not necessarily mean they are direct suppliers. “The complexity of global supply chains” makes full traceability difficult, the company said in a statement.
A wider industry problem
Experts say the issue goes far beyond Volkswagen. The Sentry’s senior policy advisor Sasha Lezhnev argues that carmakers “are not paying enough attention to what is happening in Congo.”
While Volkswagen is currently the only major European automaker to publish detailed information on its mineral sourcing, others — including Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Renault, and Stellantis — remain silent.
In 2024, the DRC filed criminal complaints in Belgium against several companies, including Apple, accusing them of complicity in the conflict mineral trade. Four of the smelters mentioned in those filings also appear on Volkswagen’s supplier list.
Gaps in regulation and certification
Volkswagen is a member of the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI), a global certification program designed to verify smelter practices. However, only 61% of VW’s 344 3TG suppliers were RMI-audited in 2024 — a figure that has been declining.
Although the EU introduced 3TG import monitoring rules in 2021, these apply mainly to direct importers, not to companies like Volkswagen that purchase finished materials from suppliers. Meanwhile, Germany’s 2025 coalition agreement between the CDU/CSU and SPD warns against “excessive regulations” on conflict minerals, further limiting oversight.
“Contaminated supply chains”
Researchers like Marc Ummel of Swiss NGO Swissaid warn that Volkswagen’s links to these smelters risk financing armed groups. “Volkswagen’s supply chain is contaminated with conflict gold,” he said. “It’s shocking that such notorious smelters are still involved.”
As Europe races toward an all-electric future, the findings raise uncomfortable questions about whether the clean energy revolution is truly as green and ethical as it seems.
