Deadly mine collapse in DRC’s coltan-rich eastern region kills 200+. Coltan fuels conflict, tech, but costs lives. UN urges peace talks.
On January 28, 2026, a landslide at the Rubaya coltan mine in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, controlled by the M23 rebel group, killed over 200 people, including miners, women, and children. The disaster highlights unsafe artisanal mining amid ongoing conflict and stalled peace efforts despite a US-brokered deal between DRC and Rwanda.