DRC Mine Collapse Kills Over 200

By Staff, Agencies

Over 200 people died this week when the Rubaya coltan mine in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo collapsed, according to Lumumba Kambere Muyisa, spokesperson for the rebel-appointed provincial governor.

Rubaya, supplying 15% of the world’s coltan used in electronics and aerospace, has been under M23 rebel control since 2024, with locals mining manually for just a few dollars a day.

The collapse occurred on Wednesday and the precise toll was still unclear as of Friday evening.

“For now, more than 200 are dead, with some still trapped in the mud,” Muyisa said, noting the injured were taken to local clinics before being moved to Goma. Heavy rains caused the collapse, prompting the rebel-appointed governor to halt mining and relocate nearby residents.

An adviser to the governor put the confirmed death toll at least 227, speaking anonymously. The UN says M23 has exploited Rubaya’s coltan to fund its insurgency, an allegation Rwanda denies.

M23 rebels, citing the Congolese Tutsi protection, seized more mineral-rich eastern Congo territory last year.