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Over 200 individuals lost their lives this week after a landslide at the Rubaya coltan mine in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, according to Lubumba Kambere Muyisa, spokesperson for the rebel-appointed governor of the province where the mine is situated.
Rubaya accounts for approximately 15% of the world’s coltan supply—an essential component processed into tantalum, a heat-resistant metal heavily sought after by manufacturers of smartphones, computers, aerospace parts, and gas turbines. The mine, located in an area controlled by the AFC/M23 rebel group since 2024, is operated manually by local workers earning only a few dollars daily.
The fatal collapse happened on Wednesday, and the exact number of casualties remained uncertain as of Friday night. Muyisa mentioned, “More than 200 people were victims of this landslide, including miners, children, and market women. Some were rescued just in time, but many sustained serious injuries.” About 20 victims are reportedly receiving treatment in health facilities.
He explained, “We are in the rainy season. The ground is fragile. It was the earth that gave way while the victims were working inside the hole.” An unnamed adviser to the governor stated that at least 227 deaths had been confirmed.
The United Nations has accused AFC/M23 of looting Rubaya’s mineral wealth to fund their insurgency, a claim the Rwandan government denies. The heavily armed rebels, who aim to overthrow the Congolese government and protect the Congolese Tutsi minority, seized even more mineral-rich territories in eastern Congo during their rapid advance last year.
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