Miners work at the entrance of a shaft at the SMB coltan mine near the town of Rubaya in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Photograph: Baz RatnerReutersView image in fullscreenMiners work at the entrance of a shaft at the SMB coltan mine near the town of Rubaya in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Photograph: Baz RatnerReutersMore than 200 killed in coltan mine collapse in eastern DRC, officials sayRubaya mine produces about 15 of the worlds coltan, which is processed into tantalum, used in mobile phonesMore than 200 people were killed this week in a collapse at the Rubaya coltan mine in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Lumumba Kambere Muyisa, spokesperson for the rebel-appointed governor of the province where the mine is located, told Reuters on Friday.Rubaya produces about 15 of the worlds coltan, which is processed into tantalum a heat-resistant metal that is in high demand by makers of mobile phones, computers, aerospace components and gas turbines. The site, where locals dig manually for a few dollars per day, has been under the control of the M23 rebel group since 2024.The collapse occurred on Wednesday and the precise toll was still unclear as of Friday evening.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.An adviser to the governor said the number of confirmed dead was at least 227. He spoke on condition of anonymity be
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