Archive · 2 Feb 2026
200+ Feared Dead in DR Congo Mine Landslide
A very big landslide happened at a mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The mine is controlled by a rebel group called AFC/M23, which is supported by Rwanda.
Many people, more than 200, are feared dead.
The mine produces a special mineral called coltan, which is used to make things like smartphones, computers, and aerospace components.
The area is very unstable, and it's hard to get information because the phone networks are down.
The government says the rebel group is taking the minerals and sending them to Rwanda, even though mining is supposed to be banned there.
People are working in very unsafe conditions, and the landslide has made things even worse.
Some people were rescued just in time and have serious injuries.
More than 200 people were killed in a collapse at the Rubaya coltan mine in eastern DR Congo.
The mine, controlled by the AFC/M23 rebel group since 2024, produces around 15% of the world’s coltan.
The collapse occurred on Wednesday, with the precise toll still unclear as of Friday evening.
The United Nations accuses the AFC/M23 of plundering the mine's riches to fund its insurgency, backed by Rwanda, which denies the allegations.
About 20 injured people are being treated in health facilities, and the rainy season's fragile ground is blamed for the landslide.
- Who
- Artisanal miners, children, and market women in the Rubaya coltan mine area
- What
- A massive landslide at the militia-controlled Rubaya coltan mine
- When
- Wednesday (exact date not specified)
- Where
- Rubaya coltan mine, North Kivu province, DR Congo
- Why
- Unsafe mining conditions and instability in the region, exacerbated by the rainy season
DR Congo Government
Rwanda
M23 Rebel Group Support
DR Congo Government
The government accuses Rwanda of backing the M23 rebel group, which controls the mine and is alleged to be plundering its resources to fund its insurgency.
Rwanda
Rwanda denies supporting the M23 rebel group and any involvement in the plundering of the mine's resources.
- Location
- Rubaya coltan mine, North Kivu province, DR Congo
- Date
- Wednesday (exact date not specified)
- Death Toll
- More than 200 (unconfirmed)
- Mineral
- Coltan (processed into tantalum for electronics, aerospace, and gas turbines)
- Control
- AFC/M23 rebel group (since 2024)
- Global Supply
- Around 15% of the world’s coltan
- Injuries
- About 20 injured people being treated in health facilities
- M23 Earnings
- $800,000 per month from the mine
- Tax Imposed
- $7 per kilogram on coltan production and sales
