More than 200 people were killed this week in a collapse at the Rubaya coltan mine in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Lumumba Kambere Muyisa, spokesperson for the rebel-appointed governor of the province where the mine is located, told Reuters on Friday.
Rubaya produces around 15 percent of the world’s coltan, which is processed into tantalum—a heat-resistant metal in high demand by mobile phone, computer, aerospace component, and gas turbine manufacturers. The site, under the control of the AFC/M23 rebel group since 2024, has been a manual digging operation for locals earning as little as $1 per day.
The collapse occurred on Wednesday and the precise toll was still unclear by Friday evening. “More than 200 people were victims of this landslide, including miners, children, and market women,” Muyisa said. “Some individuals were rescued just in time and have serious injuries.” About 20 injured people were being treated in health facilities.
“Heavily-armed rebels, whose stated aim is to overthrow the government in Kinshasa and ensure the safety of the Congolese Tutsi minority, captured even more mineral-rich territory in eastern Congo during a lightning advance last year,” an adviser to the governor said. The number of confirmed dead was at least 227. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to brief the media.
The United Nations has alleged that the AFC/M23 has plundered Rubaya’s riches to fund its insurgency, backed by Rwanda’s government. Kigali denies this allegation.