Deadly landslide at DR Congo coltan mine kills over 200
More than 200 people have died after a landslide struck a major mining site in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, as reported by BBC Africa and agencies on March 5th.
The incident occurred on March 3rd in Rubaya, one of the world’s most important sources of coltan, after heavy rainfall triggered the collapse of an informal mining area. Rubaya is located roughly 70 kilometres west of Goma in the conflict-affected province of North Kivu.
In a statement, the country’s mines ministry blamed the tragedy on the Rwandan-backed rebel group M23, accusing the group of allowing illegal mining operations to continue without basic safety protections. Authorities said the lack of official oversight had left workers exposed to dangerous conditions.
“The provisional toll counts more than 200 compatriots who lost their lives, including 70 children and numerous wounded,” the ministry said.
However, a source in Rubaya disputed the government’s account, telling the BBC that the collapse was triggered by attacks from government forces and claiming only six people had died.
The government has not responded to the allegation, and the BBC was unable to independently verify the death toll due to limited access to the remote region.
Rescue operations have been complicated by unstable ground and restrictions imposed by rebels, officials said. Many of the injured have been transported to hospitals in Goma.
Rubaya is believed to hold about 15% of the world’s coltan supply and roughly half of the country’s deposits. The mineral contains tantalum, a metal used in high-performance capacitors found in smartphones, computers and other electronic devices.
The area has been under the control of M23 rebels since 2024, and the group has made significant territorial gains across the mineral-rich east of the country over the past year.
The region’s mining sector has also become entangled in broader geopolitical tensions. UN experts have suggested that minerals extracted in eastern Congo are being exported through neighbouring Rwanda, which denies backing the rebels.
On March 3rd, the US government imposed sanctions on the Rwandan Defence Force and several of its senior commanders over alleged support for M23 rebels.
The collapse is the second deadly incident at the site this year, after another landslide in January killed more than 200 people following heavy rainfall.
BBC Africa and agencies, Maghrebi.org
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