On 28 January, a landslide at a coltan mine in Rubaya, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, caused over 200 deaths. Among the victims were children and elderly people, and this has put the spotlight on the exploitation of workers in the region's mines, which are controlled by the rebel group M23.

This was not an isolated incident. Other collapses have killed dozens of people in other locations, amounting to a full-blown labour and humanitarian emergency. And tech giants are accused of fuelling this cycle of exploitation.

The coltan massacre

Coltan is a mineral from which tantalum is extracted, a strategic metal used in devices such as smartphones, computers, electronic and aerospace components, and one whose demand from technology giants is constantly rising. The Rubaya region produces up to 30 per cent of this material globally, and mining activity involves thousands of local workers, often in dangerous and unregulated working conditions.

The landslide at the coltan mine in Rubaya, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, was caused by heavy rainfall during the rainy season. This triggered ground movements that in turn swept through the extraction areas and the tunnels dug by miners. Rescue operations were lengthy and difficult due to the challenging terrain conditions and the inaccessibility of the mining site, as well as the precarious political situation in the area.

The area in which it occurred is under the control of the rebel group M23, which has for years been waging a war against the army of the Democratic Republic of Congo — with the support of Rwanda's military forces — and holds large portions of national territory. Reports speak of over 200 deaths, among them women, children and elderly people who were at the mine likely working informally under exploitative conditions.

The accusations against M23

M23 has long been accused of using coltan, cobalt, gold and other mineral mines to enrich itself and finance its guerrilla operations.

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A landslide at the #Rubaya coltan mines in eastern #Congo killed at least 200 people, heavy rains caused the collapse, authorities said.
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A report by the United Nations Security Council maintains that the group has set up shadow administrations — including a dedicated Ministry of Mines — in the territories under its control in order to exploit mineral extraction and trade. The rebels are also accused of keeping the local population in conditions of forced labour. The authorities of the Democratic Republic of Congo have long been denouncing this situation. In 2024 they accused Apple of sourcing raw materials from mines under M23 control, where human rights are not respected and exploitation is rife. The finger is also pointed at China, accused of being involved, through several of its companies, in illegal mining activities in the country.

A chain of collapses

In recent weeks the Democratic Republic of Congo has been hit by further tragic mine collapses. This happened, for example, on 10 February in Tulizembe, a site that employs around 10,000 artisanal miners in the south of the country. In this case the toll was 12 dead, while similar tragedies in previous weeks at the sites of Mulondo and Kisankala had claimed thirty and five lives respectively.

"Beyond the heavy rains that have struck the region, mining cooperatives use equipment without adhering to safety standards. As a result, the risk of fatal accidents has increased considerably," denounced Thimothé Mbuya, director of the non-governmental organisation Justicia Asbl.