Deadly Landslide at Congo Coltan Mines Kills 200

At least 200 people have died after a landslide collapsed several mines at the Rubaya coltan mining site in eastern Congo, authorities said Saturday. The incident occurred Wednesday and was caused by heavy rains, according to Lumumba Kambere Muyisa, spokesperson for the rebel-appointed governor of North-Kivu province.

Muyisa said that several people were injured and taken to local health facilities in Rubaya. Ambulances were expected to transfer the wounded to Goma, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) away.

Following the disaster, the M23 rebel authorities temporarily halted all artisanal mining at the site and ordered the relocation of residents living near the mines.

Rubaya lies in eastern Congo, a mineral-rich region long affected by violence involving government forces and armed groups, including the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels. The recent resurgence of M23 has escalated conflict and worsened an already severe humanitarian crisis.

The region produces over 15% of the world’s tantalum, a rare metal extracted from coltan, used in smartphones, computers, and aircraft engines. Since seizing Rubaya in May 2024, M23 has taxed coltan trade and transport, generating at least $800,000 a month, according to a U.N. report.

Eastern Congo has faced decades of conflict, creating a major humanitarian crisis with over 7 million people displaced, including 100,000 displaced this year alone.

Despite a U.S.-brokered deal between the Congolese and Rwandan governments and ongoing negotiations with rebel groups, fighting continues, resulting in civilian and military casualties. The deal also provides critical mineral access for the U.S. and American companies.