More than 200 people have been killed after a Rubaya Coltan mine in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo collapsed this week, burying miners underground. The number was confirmed by Lumumba Kambere Muyisa, spokesperson for the rebel-appointed governor of the province where the mine is located, to Reuters.
The disaster occurred on Wednesday in the North Kivu province. The region is mineral-rich and is affected by armed conflict. Thousands of residents in the region rely on artisanal mining of coltan and other minerals for their livelihood.
About 15 per cent of the world's coltan is produced in Rubaya. The mineral is processed into tantalum, a heat-resistant metal used in mobile phones, computers and aerospace components.
The global demand for electronics have kept coltan prices and high and has fueled unsafe mining practices in the province amid weak state control and armed groups controlling the region.
The mine, which collapsed, have been under the control of the AFC M23 rebel groups since 2024.
Why did the Rubaya mine collapse?
Mine collapses are not uncommon in Eastern Congo. A total of six mining accidents were reported in the region between 2022 and 2023 alone.
Local reports in the region indicate that the collapse was triggered by heavy rainfall. Rapid water infiltration destabilised the tunnel, which is often dug without the proper engineering or safety rules and reinforcement, such as support beams and proper drainage.
For such mines, even a short period of rain can turn the shafts deadly.
The initial death toll was reported to be 12, and the correct number was unclear until Friday evening.
According to Muyisa, "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,"
About 20 people are being treated in health facilities, he said. One advisor to the government said that the total death toll was 227 under condition of anonymity.
Rescue operation in the region may have been hampered by a series of other challenges like the lack of equipment and safety gear, poor roads, risk of secondary collapse and the presence of armed groups in the region.
Many miners are considered dead and unrecoverable from the site due to such challenges.
The United Nations reported that the AFC M23 plundered Rubaya’s riches to fund its insurgency backed by neighbour Rwanda, an allegation Kigali has denied.
The rebels have stated that their aim is to overthrow the Kinshasa government and ensure the safety of the Congolese Tutsi community