- The Rubaya mine supplies 15% of the world’s coltan used in electronics.
- Among the victims were miners, children and women who worked at the site.
- The landslide occurred after heavy rain made the ground unstable.
More than 200 people died this week in a collapse at the Rubaya coltan mine in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, said Lubumba Kambere Muyisa, spokesman for the rebel-appointed governor of the province where the mine is located. Reuters on Friday.
Rubaya produces about 15% of the world’s coltan, which is processed to obtain tantalum, a heat-resistant metal that is in high demand among manufacturers of mobile phones, computers, aerospace components and gas turbines. The site, where locals dig manually for a few dollars a day, has been under control of the AFC/M23 rebel group since 2024.
The collapse occurred on Wednesday and as of Friday afternoon the exact number of victims was still unclear.
“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 said, adding that about 20 injured people were being treated at health centers.
“We are in the rainy season. The ground is fragile. It was the ground that gave way while the victims were in the hole.”
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 brief the media.
The United Nations says the AFC/M23 has looted Rubaya’s wealth to help finance its insurgency, backed by the government of neighboring Rwanda, an allegation Kigali denies.
The heavily armed rebels, whose stated goal 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.
