Over 200 Killed in Rubaya Coltan Mine Collapse in Eastern DRC

A miner drilling a rock in eastern DRC. (Photo: Robert Carruba via DW)

Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is reeling from a deadly mining disaster after a collapse at the Rubaya coltan mine killed more than 200 people this week.

Confirming the incident, Lumumba Kambere Muyisa, spokesperson for the province’s rebel-appointed governor, said the victims included miners, women, and children who were inside the mine when a landslide occurred.

“Some people were rescued just in time and have serious injuries,” Muyisa said, adding that about 20 survivors are currently receiving treatment at nearby health facilities.

According to Muyisa, seasonal rains contributed to the disaster, weakening the ground around the mine.

“We are in the rainy season. The ground is fragile. It was the ground that gave way while the victims were in the mine,” he explained.

An adviser to the governor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the confirmed death toll had risen to at least 227, though authorities are still assessing the full scale of the tragedy.

Rubaya mine supplies an estimated 15 per cent of the world’s coltan, a critical mineral used in electronics, aerospace, and power generation industries.

Mining at the site is largely manual, with local residents digging under hazardous conditions for minimal pay.

Since 2024, the mine has been under the control of the AFC/M23 rebel group. The United Nations has accused the group of exploiting Rubaya’s mineral resources to finance its insurgency, allegedly with support from neighbouring Rwanda, claims that Kigali has denied.

The rebels say their objective is to overthrow the government in Kinshasa and protect the Congolese Tutsi minority. Over the past year, they have seized several mineral-rich areas in eastern Congo, deepening instability in the region.