More than 200 people have been killed in a collapse at the Rubaya coltan mine in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to a local official.
Lubumba Kambere Muyisa, a spokesperson for the rebel-appointed governor of the province where the mine is located, told Reuters news agency on Friday that the deaths occurred earlier this week.
The collapse took place at an artisanal mine near the town of Rubaya, an area known for its rich deposits of coltan, a metallic ore used in the production of smartphones and other electronic devices.
History of accidents
The incident marks a sharp rise in casualties compared with a previous collapse at the same mining area in June 2025, when at least 12 people were reported killed.
At that time, sources said dozens of miners managed to escape from the pit when it collapsed, and the cause of the incident was not immediately clear.
Mining accidents are common in eastern DRC, where safety standards are often minimal and artisanal miners work in unstable pits without protective equipment.
