Rubaya Coltan Mine Collapse: Landslide Kills More Than 200 in Eastern DR Congo

On 28-Jan-2026, a rain-triggered landslide collapsed artisanal coltan mine workings in Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Rubaya area, and officials later reported more than 200 people killed, with many still buried under mud and debris as recovery continued. Heavy rains during the wet season triggered a landslide that gave way above artisanal mining pits and tunnels around Rubaya, where coltan is mined largely by hand. The collapse struck while people were working underground, and the unstable ground caused multiple sections to cave in, leaving large numbers trapped beneath mud and earth. In the days that followed, local authorities reported a rapidly rising death toll. A spokesperson for the rebel-appointed provincial administration said more than 200 people had died, while rescue and recovery efforts continued and the precise number remained difficult to confirm because many victims were still missing under the landslide. Officials and responders also reported injured survivors. Those hurt were taken to medical facilities in Rubaya, and authorities prepared to move some of the wounded for further treatment to Goma, the provincial hub located roughly 50 km away. After the collapse, the rebel-appointed governor suspended artisanal mining in the area and ordered people living close to the site to relocate, citing the risk of further ground failure. Accounts in the reporting underscored long-standing safety problems common in informal mining: tunnels are often dug without engineering support, oversight, or stable reinforcements, which can turn heavy rain and shifting soil into a mass-casualty event. Rubaya’s importance extends far beyond the local community. The area is a major source of coltan—ore processed into tantalum, used in electronics-and reporting noted Rubaya supplies over 15% of global tantalum/coltan. The disaster also unfolded in a conflict-affected zone. The mines are in territory controlled by the M23, and coverage linked the region’s insecurity and governance gaps to the broader humanitarian crisis in eastern Congo.