Apple CEO Tim Cook introduces the iPhone 7 at the product launch held at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco on September 7, 2016. (Gary Reyes/Bay Area News Group/TNS)
Last year, I visited the sprawling mines of Cerro Rico, the "rich hill" that looms over Potosi, Bolivia. Four centuries ago, it supplied the silver that bankrolled the Spanish empire.
Today, miners who work in the same tunnels as 16th century conscripted Incan labourers are providing tin for Apple products like the iPhone. It's a powerful paradox – our most cutting-edge consumer devices are made from raw material obtained by methods barely advanced beyond colonial times.
Already a subscriber? Log in.
Limited time offer:
Just RM5 per month.
Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.
Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
