More than 200 people have been killed after a landslide hit coltan mines in eastern Congo, rebel authorities said on Saturday.
Many bodies are said to still be buried under the mud following the tragedy, which occurred in Rubaya on Wednesday.
Congo is a major supplier of coltan, a black metallic ore that contains the rare metal tantalum, a key component in the production of smartphones, computers and aircraft engines.
The country produced around 40 per cent of the world's coltan in 2023, according to the US Geological Survey.
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Additionally, over 15 per cent of the world's supply of tantalum comes from Rubaya's mines.
The mines are controlled by the M23 rebels. Lumumba Kambere Muyisa, the spokesman for the rebel-appointed governor of North-Kivu province, said the landslide was caused by heavy rain.
"More than 200 people were victims of this landslide, including miners, children and market women," he said.
"Some people were rescued just in time and have serious injuries."
More than 200 people have been killed after a landslide hit coltan mines in eastern Congo, rebel authorities said on Saturday
|REUTERS
He continued: "For now, there are more than 200 dead, some of whom are still in the mud and have not yet been recovered."
Mr Muyisa added many others were injured and taken to multiple health facilities in the town of Rubaya.
Ambulances were expected to transfer the wounded on Saturday to Goma, the nearest city, around 30 miles away.
According to Sky News, children as young as four were said to be working in the mines.
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The Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have controlled the mines since May 2024
|GETTY
Clovis Mafare, a former miner at the site, described the dangers of the mines, which had been dug by hand and "without safety measures".
"People dig everywhere, without control or safety measures," he explained.
"In a single pit, there can be as many as 500 miners, and because the tunnels run parallel, one collapse can affect many pits at once."
The country has been hit with a swarm of violence between government forces and different armed groups, such as the Rwanda-backed M23, for years.
Congo is responsible for up to 40 per cent of the world's coltan
|REUTERS
Various conflicts have led to the displacement of over seven million people, with over 300,000 fleeing their homes since December.
M23 seized Rubaya and took control of its mines in May 2024.
According to the UN, since seizing Rubaya, the rebels have imposed taxes on the trade and transport of coltan, generating at least $800,000 a month.
A deal, brokered by the US, was struck between Congo and Rwanda, but fighting has continued in eastern Congo.
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