Rubaya (Congo): More than 200 people are feared dead after a massive collapse at the Rubaya coltan mine in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), according to local authorities cited by Reuters. The incident occurred on Wednesday at the mine site, located around 60 kilometres northwest of Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu, but the scale of the tragedy became clearer only in the following days as rescue efforts continued.
Lumumba Kambere Muyisa, spokesperson for the rebel-appointed governor of North Kivu province, said the death toll could exceed 200. “More than 200 people were victims of this landslide, including miners, children and market women,” Muyisa told Reuters. He added that several people were rescued with serious injuries and around 20 injured survivors are currently being treated at nearby health facilities.
The Governor of North Kivu under the AFC–M23 administration, H.E. Bahati Musanga Erasto, visited residents impacted by the landslide at the Rubaya mining site in Masisi Territory. Several members of his provincial cabinet accompanied him, as seen in a viral video.
Likely Reason Behind Mine Collapse Tragedy
Officials said the collapse was triggered by unstable ground conditions during the rainy season. “We are in the rainy season. The ground is fragile. It was the ground that gave way while the victims were in the hole,” Muyisa explained, indicating that many of those killed were underground at the time of the landslide.
Eraston Bahati Musanga, the governor of North Kivu appointed by the M23 rebel group, confirmed that bodies had been recovered but did not provide an official figure for the dead or injured. An adviser to the governor, speaking anonymously to Reuters due to lack of authorisation, also estimated the death toll at more than 200. As of Friday evening, independent verification of the exact number of casualties was still not possible.
Eyewitnesses at the site said fears remain that many people are still trapped inside the mine. Franck Bolingo, an artisanal miner in Rubaya, told AFP that heavy rain preceded the disaster. “It rained, then the landslide happened and swept people away. Some were buried alive, and others are still trapped in the shafts,” he said.
Rubaya Mine Produces 15% Of World's Coltan Supply
The Rubaya mine is a major global source of coltan, producing nearly 15 percent of the world’s supply. Coltan is refined into tantalum, a heat-resistant metal widely used in mobile phones, computers, aerospace equipment and gas turbines. Despite its economic importance, mining in Rubaya is largely artisanal, with locals digging by hand for only a few dollars a day.
The mine has been under the control of the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group since 2024, after repeatedly changing hands between the Congolese government and armed groups. The United Nations has accused M23 of exploiting Rubaya’s mineral wealth to finance its insurgency, a charge Rwanda has denied.
The tragedy once again highlights the stark contrast between the DRC’s vast mineral resources and the extreme poverty faced by its people, with more than 70 percent of Congolese living on less than USD 2.15 a day.
