At least 200 people were reportedly killed after a coltan mine collapsed at Rubaya in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on Wednesday. The figure was shared by Lumumba Kambere Muyisa, spokesperson for the rebel-appointed governor of the province where the mine is located, according to Reuters.

Muyisa warned that the death toll is likely to increase as rescue efforts continue and more information becomes available.

Mine located near Goma in North Kivu

According to reports, the Rubaya mine lies around 60 kilometres (37 miles) northwest of Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu. The collapse happened on Wednesday, but the exact number of people killed or injured remains unclear due to the scale of the disaster and difficult conditions on the ground.

“More than 200 people were victims of this landslide, including miners, children and market women. Some people were rescued just in time and have serious injuries,” Muyisa told Reuters. He added that around 20 injured people were receiving treatment at local health facilities.

Heavy rains blamed for landslide

Officials said the collapse was likely caused by seasonal rains that weakened the ground. “We are in the rainy season. The ground is fragile. It was the ground that gave way while the victims were in the hole,” Muyisa said.

North Kivu has seen repeated landslides during heavy rains, especially in areas where artisanal mining is carried out with limited safety measures.

Confusion over exact death toll

Eraston Bahati Musanga, the North Kivu governor appointed by the M23 rebel group, told AFP on Friday that “some bodies have been recovered”. However, he did not give exact figures for the number of dead or injured, suggesting the toll could be high.

An adviser to the provincial governor later told Reuters, on condition of anonymity, that the number of deaths was more than 200. AFP said it was unable to independently confirm the toll as of Friday evening.

Victims still feared trapped underground

Local accounts suggest that many people may still be trapped inside the mine. Franck Bolingo, an artisanal miner who spoke to AFP at Rubaya, said the situation unfolded quickly after rainfall.

“It rained, then the landslide happened and swept people away. Some were buried alive, and others are still trapped in the shafts,” Bolingo said.

Rubaya’s global importance in coltan supply

Rubaya is one of the world’s most important sources of coltan, producing about 15 per cent of global supply. Coltan is refined into tantalum, a heat-resistant metal widely used in mobile phones, computers, aerospace equipment, and gas turbines.

At the mine, local workers dig manually and earn only a few dollars a day, often working in unsafe conditions.

Rebel control and UN allegations

The Rubaya mine has been under the control of the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group since 2024. Before that, control of the area shifted several times between the Congolese government and armed groups.

The United Nations has accused M23 rebels of looting Rubaya’s mineral resources to finance their rebellion. Rwanda has denied these allegations.

Poverty amid vast mineral wealth

Despite the DRC’s enormous mineral resources, poverty remains widespread. More than 70 per cent of Congolese people live on less than $2.15 a day, highlighting the stark contrast between the country’s wealth and the living conditions of its population.