The mine, located around 60 kilometres northwest of Goma in North Kivu province, collapsed on Wednesday. The exact number of casualties remains unclear as rescue and recovery efforts continue.
“More than 200 people were victims of this landslide, including miners, children and market women,” Muyisa told Reuters. “Some people were rescued just in time and have serious injuries.” He added that around 20 injured individuals are currently receiving treatment in health facilities.
Authorities linked the disaster to heavy rainfall during the ongoing rainy season, which has weakened the ground structure. “We are in the rainy season. The ground is fragile. It was the ground that gave way while the victims were in the hole,” Muyisa said.
Eraston Bahati Musanga, the M23-appointed governor of North Kivu, confirmed that bodies had been recovered but did not provide specific casualty figures, suggesting the death toll could rise further. An adviser to the governor, speaking anonymously to Reuters, also estimated fatalities at more than 200.
Local miner Franck Bolingo told AFP that several people may still be trapped underground. “It rained, then the landslide happened and swept people away. Some were buried alive, and others are still trapped in the shafts,” he said.
Rubaya is a major source of coltan, producing about 15 percent of the world’s supply. Coltan is refined into tantalum, a key material used in smartphones, computers, aerospace equipment and gas turbines.
The mine is currently under the control of the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group, which took over the area in 2024 after years of shifting control between government forces and armed groups. The United Nations has accused M23 of exploiting Rubaya’s mineral resources to finance its operations, an allegation Rwanda denies.
Despite the DRC’s vast mineral wealth, more than 70 percent of its population lives on less than $2.15 a day, highlighting the stark contrast between resource abundance and widespread poverty.
