Shaft Collapse at Rubaya Coltan Mine Kills Six in DR Congo

At least six people, including three women and three men, were killed when a shaft collapsed at the Rubaya coltan mine in eastern DR Congo, controlled by the M23 rebel group. Several others were injured. The mine, a major global source of coltan, has seen unsafe conditions for artisanal miners and recent landslides, with M23 profiting from its operations. Recent fighting, including a drone strike killing the M23 military spokesman, has further heightened risks in the region.

At least six people were killed when a shaft collapsed at the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DR Congo) largest coltan mine, situated in the rebel-controlled eastern region of the country, according to eyewitnesses and local sources. The incident occurred on Tuesday at the Rubaya mine, located approximately 70 kilometres (45 miles) west of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province. Among the victims were three women and three men, while several other miners sustained serious injuries in the collapse. Witnesses described chaotic scenes at the site, with authorities ordering the evacuation of miners and recovery teams transporting the bodies on stretchers. One local witness, Daniel, reached by phone from Goma, stated, “People died, and others were seriously injured.” Another witness, who declined to give their name, confirmed that six bodies were recovered, emphasizing the human toll of the incident.
The Rubaya mine is a major source of coltan, a mineral critical to the production of electronic components such as capacitors and microchips, and it accounts for an estimated 15 to 30 percent of global coltan production. Thousands of artisanal miners work in the Rubaya pits under precarious and dangerous conditions, often equipped only with rudimentary tools such as shovels and wearing basic protective gear like rubber boots. Families and relatives of miners rushed to the site seeking information about loved ones following the collapse, highlighting the deep anxiety and fear that accompanies mining in this high-risk area.
Since April 2024, the Rubaya site has been under the control of the M23 rebel group, which maintains a significant economic interest in the mine. The group reportedly collects around $800,000 each month through a tax of $7 per kilogram on the production and sale of coltan, according to reports from the AFP news agency. The collapse took place specifically in a section of the mine known as the Gasasa quarry, a part of the site known for its high-density mining activity.
This latest tragedy marks the second fatal collapse at Rubaya in recent weeks. Authorities previously raised fears that a massive landslide at the end of the previous month may have killed up to 200 people, underscoring the extreme hazards faced by miners in this region. The M23 rebels, who re-emerged as a powerful force in eastern DR Congo in 2021, have seized vast territories in the resource-rich eastern provinces, exploiting a region long devastated by decades of conflict. The resurgence of the group has allowed them to exert significant control over mining operations, as well as local governance and economic activity in the area.
Fighting in the Rubaya region has intensified in recent days. On February 24, a drone strike targeted the area, killing Willy Ngoma, the military spokesman for the M23, in what analysts see as part of a broader escalation of conflict between government forces and rebel factions. The combination of armed conflict, unregulated mining, and unsafe working conditions continues to put the lives of thousands of artisanal miners at risk, raising concerns among humanitarian organizations and international observers about the urgent need for safety reforms and conflict resolution in eastern DR Congo.
The Rubaya mine collapse highlights the complex interplay between natural resource exploitation, armed conflict, and humanitarian crises in DR Congo. While coltan remains a highly valuable global commodity, the human cost of its extraction — particularly in regions controlled by armed groups like M23 — underscores ongoing challenges in ensuring the safety, security, and livelihoods of local communities.