More than 200 people were killed this week when a coltan mine collapsed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, local authorities said Friday.
The disaster struck the Rubaya mine, a critical source of global coltan, according to a spokesperson for the rebel-appointed provincial governor.
Rubaya produces about 15% of the world’s coltan, a mineral essential for smartphones, computers, aerospace technology and gas turbines.
The mine has been controlled by the M23 rebel group since 2024, where locals dig by hand for only a few dollars daily.
The collapse occurred on Wednesday, and the full death toll remains uncertain as rescue efforts continue in difficult conditions.
“More than 200 people were victims of this landslide, including miners, children and market women,” spokesperson Lubumba Kambere Muyisa told Reuters.
He said some victims were pulled from the rubble alive but suffered severe injuries, underscoring the human cost of informal mining.
An adviser to the governor said at least 227 deaths had been confirmed, speaking anonymously because he was not authorised to brief media.
The United Nations says M23 has exploited Rubaya’s mineral wealth to fund its insurgency, an allegation Rwanda, accused of backing M23, denies.
The rebels, seeking to topple the government and protect Congolese Tutsis, seized more mineral-rich territory during last year’s rapid advance.