RUBAYA, DR Congo — More than 200 people, including at least 70 children, have been killed after a landslide caused the collapse of a mining area in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, authorities said.
The disaster struck the coltan-rich town of Rubaya on Tuesday, following heavy rains that triggered the collapse at an informal mining site.
In a statement, the government’s Ministry of Mines (DR Congo) blamed the tragedy on the rebel group M23, accusing it of allowing illegal mining activities without enforcing safety standards.
“The provisional toll counts more than 200 compatriots who lost their lives, including 70 children and numerous wounded,” the ministry said.
However, the M23 rebels had not responded to the accusations by Thursday. A local source in Rubaya told the BBC that the collapse may have been linked to attacks by government forces and claimed only six people had died, a figure the government has not addressed.
Key global mineral source
Rubaya is considered the largest source of coltan in the country and one of the most significant globally.
Experts estimate the mines hold about 15pc of the world’s coltan supply and roughly half of DR Congo’s total deposits.
Coltan contains tantalum, a metal used to manufacture high-performance capacitors found in smartphones, laptops, medical equipment, and other electronics, making it a highly sought-after mineral worldwide.
The town lies about 70 kilometres west of Goma, the capital of North Kivu.
Rescue efforts hampered
Authorities said rescue operations were complicated by dangerous conditions and limited access to the rebel-controlled region.
Government officials also said the lack of official oversight at the site meant miners were working without basic safety protections.
The remote nature of the area has made it difficult for humanitarian organisations and medical services to respond effectively. Telecommunications disruptions have also hampered efforts to verify the scale of the disaster.
Many of the injured have been transported to hospitals in Goma for treatment.
Long-running conflict in mineral-rich east
The eastern DR Congo region has been plagued by armed conflict for decades, largely driven by competition over valuable mineral resources.
Since 2024, M23 rebels have controlled Rubaya and the surrounding mining areas. Over the past year, the group has expanded its presence across large parts of the mineral-rich region.
A previous landslide at the same site following heavy rainfall in January this year also killed more than 200 people, highlighting the persistent safety risks faced by artisanal miners.
According to UN experts, minerals from eastern DR Congo are often smuggled through neighbouring Rwanda.
The UN panel has also accused Rwanda of backing the M23 rebels — claims Kigali has consistently denied.
The United States this week imposed sanctions on Rwanda’s military and several senior commanders over alleged involvement in the conflict, further raising tensions in the region.
Despite the violence, Rubaya’s coltan deposits remain central to global electronics supply chains, underscoring the high economic stakes surrounding control of the area.
