Over 200 killed in coltan mine collapse in eastern Congo

Laborers dig at the Rubaya coltan mine in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. (Courtesy: Reuters file photo)

At least 227 people died this week after a collapse at the Rubaya coltan mine in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. According to Lumumba Kambere Muyisa, spokesperson for the rebel-appointed governor of the province where the mine is situated, over 200 people were victims of this landslide, including miners, children and market women.

"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 told Reuters.

"We are in the rainy season. The ground is fragile. It was the ground that gave way while the victims were in the hole," he added.

The incident took place on Wednesday and the exact toll remained unclear till Friday evening. However, an adviser to the governor said the number of confirmed dead was at least 227. He spoke on condition of anonymity.

Rubaya accounts for about 15% of global coltan output, which is refined into tantalum—a heat-resistant metal widely used in mobile phones, computers, aerospace parts and gas turbines. The site, where local workers manually dig for just a few dollars a day, has been under the control of the AFC/M23 rebel group since 2024.

Franck Bolingo, an artisanal miner who spoke to AFP at Rubaya, said it is believed that people remain trapped inside the mine. "It rained, then the landslide happened and swept people away. Some were buried alive, and others are still trapped in the shafts," Bolingo said.