A catastrophic mine collapse in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s east has resulted in the deaths of more than 200 people, a provincial official confirmed on Friday.
Lumumba Kambere Muyisa, spokesperson for the rebel-appointed governor of the province, informed Reuters of the tragedy at the Rubaya coltan mine.
Rubaya is a critical source of coltan, supplying around 15 percent of the global supply. Manufacturers process the mineral into tantalum, a durable metal essential for producing mobile phones, computers, aerospace parts, and gas turbines.
Since 2024, the AFC/M23 rebel faction has controlled the site, where local laborers often dig manually for meager daily wages.
The collapse happened on Wednesday. By Friday evening, authorities still worked to determine the exact death toll.
“More than 200 people were victims of this landslide, including miners, children and market women. Some people were rescued just in time and have serious injuries,” Muyisa stated. He added that roughly 20 injured people were receiving treatment in local health facilities.
“We are in the rainy season. The ground is fragile. It was the ground that gave way while the victims were in the hole,” Muyisa explained.
An adviser to the governor, speaking anonymously due to lack of media authorisation, placed the confirmed fatality figure at a minimum of 227.
United Nations accuses the AFC/M23 group of looting Rubaya’s mineral wealth to finance its insurgency, which Rwanda allegedly backs – an accusation the Rwandan government in Kigali rejects.
Rebel group’s stated objectives include toppling the Kinshasa government and protecting the Congolese Tutsi minority. Last year, the heavily-armed faction seized additional mineral-rich territories in eastern Congo during a swift military offensive.
