More than 200 people died this week after a major collapse at the Rubaya coltan mine in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to local officials.

Coltan is a dull black metallic ore crucial for modern electronics, particularly for producing tantalum capacitors in smartphones, laptops, and cameras.

Lumumba Kambere Muyisa, spokesperson for the rebel-appointed governor of the province, said the incident happened on Wednesday. He told Reuters that the exact death toll was still being confirmed.

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“More than 200 people were victims of this landslide, including miners, children, and market women. Some people were rescued just in time and have serious injuries,” Muyisa said.

He added that around 20 injured people are currently receiving treatment at nearby health facilities.

An adviser to the provincial governor said the confirmed death toll had reached at least 227. He spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Rubaya mine produces about 15% of the world’s coltan. Coltan is refined into tantalum, a heat-resistant metal widely used in mobile phones, computers, aerospace parts, and gas turbines.

The mine has been under the control of the AFC/M23 rebel group since 2024. Local residents work there manually, earning only a few dollars per day under unsafe conditions.

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Muyisa explained that heavy rains weakened the ground. “We are in the rainy season. The ground is fragile. It was the ground that gave way while the victims were in the hole,” he said.

The United Nations has accused AFC/M23 of looting Rubaya’s mineral wealth to fund its insurgency. The group is allegedly backed by neighboring Rwanda, a claim that Kigali has denied.

The rebels say they aim to overthrow the government in Kinshasa and protect the Congolese Tutsi minority. Last year, they captured more mineral-rich areas during a rapid military advance in eastern Congo.