PARIS, Feb 27 (Reuters) -

French prosecutors have closed a case filed by Democratic

Republic of Congo accusing Apple ( AAPL ) subsidiaries of using

conflict minerals in its supply chain, according to a document

seen by Reuters on Thursday.

Congo filed criminal complaints against Apple ( AAPL ) subsidiaries

in France and Belgium, its lawyers said in December. Apple ( AAPL ) said

then it strongly disputed the allegations and had told its

suppliers they must not use the minerals in question sourced

from Congo or Rwanda.

In the document seen by Reuters and dated February 18, the

Paris prosecutor's office said allegations of money laundering

and deceptive business practices were "not sufficiently

well-founded" and closed the case - meaning it will not proceed

with the complaint.

The office invited Congo to contact a different office

"with jurisdiction over war crimes".

The prosecutor's office and Apple ( AAPL ) did not immediately

respond to an emailed request for comment on Thursday.

Congo is a major source of tin, tantalum and tungsten,

so-called 3T minerals used in computers and mobile phones. Some

artisanal mines are run by armed groups involved in massacres of

civilians, mass rapes, looting and other crimes, according to

U.N. experts and human rights groups.

Since the 1990s, Congo's mining heartlands in the east have

been devastated by waves of fighting between armed groups, some

backed by neighbouring Rwanda, and the Congolese military.

The complaints filed in France and Belgium were prepared on

behalf of Congo's justice minister. Belgium appointed an

investigating magistrate in response, a lawyer for Congo said in

January.