The collapse at the Rubaya mine, where coltan was extracted, occurred on January 28. The cause was heavy rains that triggered a landslide. At least 227 fatalities have been reported.
More than 200 people have died as a result of the collapse of a mine at the coltan mine in Rubaya in the North Kivu province in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), international news agencies reported on Saturday, January 31, citing local authorities. The mine, located in an area controlled by the rebel group March 23 Movement (M23), collapsed on January 28 amid heavy rains that triggered a landslide, writes DW.
"The victims of this landslide include more than 200 people, including miners, children, and market traders. Some were rescued at the last moment, suffering serious injuries," said the spokesperson for the governor of the province, Lubumbashi Kambere Muyisa, who was appointed by the rebels. The governor's advisor specified that the confirmed death toll is at least 227 people. The exact number of victims is still unknown.
The Rubaya mine accounts for about 15% of the world's coltan production
One of the former miners who worked at the mine told the AP agency that this incident is not the first: landslides have occurred repeatedly due to the fact that the tunnels in the mines were dug by hand and poorly constructed. The site, where locals mine ore by hand, has been under the control of M23 rebels since 2024. Currently, ore extraction at the landslide-affected site has been suspended.
As noted by Reuters, the Rubaya mine accounts for about 15% of the world's columbite-tantalite (coltan) production. This ore is then processed into tantalum - a heat-resistant metal that is in high demand among manufacturers of mobile phones, computers, aerospace components, and gas turbines.
