Chipzilla and HP have been praised by human rights groups by responsibility sourcing their supply chain. Last year Intel was given a good kicking for encouraging the trade in valuable minerals from war-torn African regions. Now, though, one of the leading activist groups says Intel is among the leaders in responsibly sourcing its supply chain.

“Conflict minerals," mined in the Congo and neighbouring countries, bankroll violence by rebel groups in the region. However sales are propped up by the electronics industry which is a big consumer of these minerals. The financial reform legislation Congress approved last summer included a provision that requires companies to say where they got their minerals.

A report, from the Enough Project now praises Intel, Motorola, and HP are proving good role models by visiting suppliers and chairing industry-wide efforts to audit one of the most important conflict minerals tantalum.

HP, Microsoft, Apple, Nokia, Acer, and Intel received additional praise for having investigated their supply chains in detail, some to the point of fully identifying their minerals smelters.