More than 200 people died in a collapse at the Rubaya coltan mine in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The information was confirmed to Reuters this Friday (30) by Lubumba Kambere Muyisa, spokesperson for the governor of the province where the mine is located, appointed by the rebels. Rubaya produces around 15% of the world’s coltan, which is processed to produce tantalum, a heat-resistant metal widely used by manufacturers of cell phones, computers, aerospace components and gas turbines. The mine — where residents extract material manually for a few dollars a day — has been under the control of the M23 rebel group since 2024. The collapse occurred on Wednesday (28) and the exact number of victims was still unclear as of Friday. “More than 200 people were victims of this landslide, including miners, children and traders. Some people were rescued in time and suffered serious injuries,” Muyisa said. An aide to the governor said the confirmed death toll was at least 227. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press. The United Nations says the M23 looted Rubaya’s wealth to finance its insurgency, supported by the government of neighboring Rwanda, an allegation the Kigali government denies. The heavily armed rebels, whose stated aim is to overthrow the central government in Kinshasa and ensure the safety of Congo’s Tutsi minority, seized yet more mineral-rich territory in eastern Congo during a lightning advance last year.
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Mine collapse in Democratic Republic of Congo kills more than 200 people, including children
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