Mine Collapse in Eastern Congo Claims Over 200 Lives, Exposing Perils of Artisanal Coltan Mining

GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo – A devastating collapse at the Rubaya coltan mine in eastern Congo this week has killed more than 200 people, according to local officials, in one of the deadliest mining disasters in the region's recent history. The tragedy underscores the extreme dangers faced by artisanal miners who extract critical minerals for the global electronics industry under perilous, often lawless, conditions.

The landslide occurred on Wednesday at the site, which accounts for an estimated 15% of the world's coltan supply. The mineral is refined into tantalum, a heat-resistant metal vital for manufacturing smartphones, laptops, and aerospace components. The mine, located in territory controlled by the AFC/M23 rebel group since 2024, is worked by locals who dig by hand for meager daily wages.

Lubumba Kambere Muyisa, a spokesperson for the rebel-appointed provincial governor, confirmed the scale of the disaster to Reuters on Friday. "More than 200 people were victims of this landslide, including miners, children, and women selling goods at the site," Muyisa said. He noted that about 20 injured individuals were receiving treatment and attributed the collapse to fragile ground conditions during the ongoing rainy season.

An anonymous adviser to the governor later raised the confirmed death toll to at least 227. Rescue efforts have been hampered by the remote location and ongoing insecurity.

The Rubaya mine sits at the heart of a complex conflict. The United Nations accuses the AFC/M23—a heavily armed group backed, according to the UN and Congolese government, by neighboring Rwanda—of plundering mineral resources to fund its insurgency. Rwanda denies the allegations. The group, which claims to protect the Congolese Tutsi minority, seized significant mineral-rich territories in eastern Congo during a major offensive last year.

This disaster highlights the stark disconnect between the sophisticated technology powered by these minerals and the brutal, informal labor that often extracts them. Industry audits and "conflict-free" certification schemes have struggled to ensure safety or accountability in rebel-controlled zones, where regulation is nonexistent.

Voices from the Community

We spoke to several individuals connected to the region's mining sector for their reaction:

• David Mbeki, a supply chain analyst in Kinshasa: "This isn't just a natural disaster; it's a systemic failure. The global demand for coltan creates a market that fuels both conflict and these utterly unsafe mining practices. Until companies invest in traceability and formalize the sector, tragedies like Rubaya will repeat."
• Annette Kabila, a teacher in Goma: "My heart breaks. Many of those 'miners' are just boys and young men with no other options. They go into those pits knowing the risks because they must feed their families. The world enjoys its gadgets while our people are buried for them."
• Jean-Paul Nzito, a former miner now with a local NGO: "The rebels collect taxes, the traders make profits, and the miners pay with their lives. It's that simple. Where is the government? Where is the international community? They only see the minerals, not the people." [Emotional/Sharp]
• Sarah Jennings, an EU-based advocacy officer: "This catastrophe must be a wake-up call for policymakers. Due diligence regulations in the EU and US need sharper teeth to break the link between consumer electronics and human suffering in conflict zones."

Reporting was contributed by the Congo newsroom, with additional information from Clement Bonnerot. Analysis by Robbie Corey-Boulet. Edited by Daniel Wallis.