Massive tragedy in Congo: 200 feared dead in Rubaya Coltan mine collapse

Goma: At least 200 people are feared dead following a mine collapse on Tuesday at a major coltan site in eastern Congo, according to government authorities, though the rebel group currently occupying the area has disputed the casualty count.

The disaster occurred at the Rubaya mines, which have been under the control of M23 rebels since May 2024. The Congolese Ministry of Mines released a statement on Wednesday confirming the collapse, which follows a similar tragedy last month that also claimed more than 200 lives.

Fanny Kaj, a high-ranking official within the Rwanda-backed M23, denied the government's figures and claimed the deaths were the result of military action rather than a structural failure.

“I can confirm that what people are publishing is not true. There was no landslide; there were bombings, and the death toll isn't what people are saying. It's simply about five people who died,” Kaj said.

Conflicting Accounts of the Disaster

However, workers at the site provided a much grimmer account. Ibrahim Taluseke, a local miner, said he participated in the recovery of more than 200 bodies from the debris.

“We are afraid, but these are lives that are in danger,” Taluseke said. “The owners of the pits do not accept that the exact number of deaths be revealed.”

The Global Stakes of Rubaya

The Rubaya mines are a critical global hub for coltan, a mineral containing tantalum, which is essential for the manufacturing of smartphones, computers, and aircraft engines. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, Congo produced approximately 40 per cent of the world's coltan in 2023, with the Rubaya site alone accounting for more than 15 per cent of the global tantalum supply.

Since seizing the town, M23 has reportedly generated at least $800,000 per month by taxing the trade and transport of the ore, according to United Nations data.

A Growing Humanitarian Crisis

The incident highlights the ongoing instability in eastern Congo, where a resurgent M23 has exacerbated a humanitarian crisis that has displaced more than 7 million people, including 300,000 since December.

While the Congolese and Rwandan governments signed a U.S.-brokered peace deal in June, a pact intended to secure American access to critical minerals, fighting persists on several fronts. Negotiations between the rebels and the government are ongoing, yet civilian and military casualties continue to mount across the mineral-rich region.

With inputs from PTI