Kinshasa, Jan 30 (V7N) — At least 227 people have died in a collapse at the Rubaya coltan mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), officials said on Friday. The mine, located in the eastern part of the country, has been under the control of the M-23 rebel group since 2024.

According to Lumumba Kambere Muisa, spokesman for the rebel-appointed governor of the province, the death toll could rise further. Among the victims were miners, as well as children and women working in nearby markets. Many others were rescued with serious injuries.

The Rubaya mine produces about 15 percent of the world’s coltan, a mineral essential for manufacturing tantalum, used in mobile phones, computers, aerospace technology, and gas turbines. Local workers earn only a few dollars per day.

The M-23 rebels, accused by the United Nations of exploiting the mine to fund their insurgency, seized more mineral-rich areas in eastern Congo last year during a surprise offensive. They are reportedly fighting to overthrow the government in Kinshasa and protect the Tutsi minority. Rwanda has denied any involvement in supporting the rebels.

Officials believe that the ongoing rainy season may have contributed to the disaster, as softened soil likely caused the collapse.

The incident highlights the ongoing risks faced by workers in Congo’s unregulated mining sector and the broader instability in the region’s mineral-rich areas.

END/SMA/AJ