According to this blog post over on the Enough Project website, Steve Jobs has responded (in his characteristically short e-mails sent from his iPhone) to the recent uproar over the use of conflict minerals in devices such as the iPod, iPhone, and iPad:

Yes. We require all of our suppliers to certify in writing that they use conflict few [sic] materials. But honestly there is no way for them to be sure. Until someone invents a way to chemically trace minerals from the source mine, it’s a very difficult problem.

Sent from my iPhone

To be honest, this is one of the longest Steve Jobs e-mails I’ve ever seen, so that could say something about how important this is to Apple. However, if they really want to prove this is important tot he company they will take up the call to action posed by Enough Project in their own response, reading:

Thanks, Steve. You have always blazed a path where others thought it impossible.

Tracing minerals isn’t easy, but it can be done. The chokepoint is at the smelter, where the raw mineral ores are processed into metals. Tin and tantalum firms that supply electronics companies have started tracing programs in the past six months, and certain electronics companies are beginning to audit this process.

But to guarantee to consumers that iPads, iPods and iPhones are verifiably conflict-free, we need more resources and commitment from industry leaders like you. We have a roadmap to accomplish this, through tracing, auditing, and certification. Would you like to meet and talk further?

Photo Credit: Jon Snyder/Wired.com