Hundreds Feared Dead in Rubaya Coltan Mine Landslide in Eastern Congo
Rescue efforts underway as miners are buried under unstable slopes in militia-controlled Rubaya coltan mine
- A double landslide at the Rubaya coltan mine in eastern Congo has reportedly killed around 200 artisanal miners
- The mine, under the control of the M23 militia, is in a conflict zone,
- Rubaya is a key source of coltan, essential for smartphones and electronics
A double landslide at the Rubaya coltan mine in eastern Congo has reportedly claimed the lives of at least 200 people.
The disaster struck the hillside mineral site over Wednesday and Thursday, burying artisanal miners under a massive flow of unstable earth.
Rescuers are grappling with treacherous, rain-soaked slopes, where thousands of miners work daily armed only with shovels and rubber boots.
The Ministry of Communication expressed deep concern as news of the tragedy trickled in slowly through local motorbike couriers, highlighting the region’s isolation.
Rubaya is a crucial source of coltan, a mineral essential for smartphone and electronics production worldwide. The mine has been under the control of the M23 militia, allegedly backed by Rwanda, who seized the area in April 2024 to fund their operations.
Ongoing conflict and disrupted communications have made it difficult to confirm the exact death toll in the remote region.
The Congolese government stated that all mining activities in Rubaya had been officially banned as of February 2025, condemning the tragedy as a result of organized looting by armed occupation forces.
UN experts estimate the M23 generates hundreds of thousands of dollars each month by taxing this illicit mineral trade.
Injured survivors are arriving at local health centers, many of which lack the resources to manage such a massive influx of casualties.
The international community watches anxiously as rescue operations continue, searching for the missing in the scarred, resource-rich hills of eastern Congo.
