Democratic Republic of the Congo More than 200 dead after landslide in coltan mine in eastern Congo
After heavy rainfall, a landslide has occurred in a coltan mine in the eastern Congolese province of North Kivu, killing more than 200 people. Since the mine collapsed on Wednesday, 227 dead and more than 30 injured have been recovered, said the spokesman for the provincial authorities. Among the dead were miners, market traders and children.
31.01.2026, 11:24
SDA
The mine affected is the Rubaya coltan mine, which is estimated to contain 15 percent of the coltan mined worldwide. The metallic ore is needed to produce chips for cell phones and laptops as well as batteries for electric cars.
Working conditions in many mines in this resource-rich country are considered precarious - safety technology is often not available and child labor is also used in many mines.
The rich raw materials of eastern Congo - gold and tin as well as coltan - are fueling the conflict in the region, which has been going on for more than 30 years and in which more than 100 armed militias are active. Since the beginning of 2024, the mine in Rubaya has been controlled by the M23 militia, which also captured the provincial capital of Goma a year ago and controls large parts of eastern Congo.
