Goma: More than 20 people have died following a collapse Thursday at a coltan mine in Rubaya, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), local sources said Friday. 

At least 21 bodies have been recovered so far from the mine, located in the Masisi territory of North Kivu Province, according to the Masisi administrator's office.

Around 100 people have also been rescued during the ongoing operation.

"The current toll remains provisional as rescue efforts have been underway since yesterday. Several individuals are still buried, but emergency teams are working relentlessly at the site to save those showing signs of life," a local official told Xinhua news agency on Friday from Rubaya.

"We plan to provide another update later this afternoon depending on how the situation evolves," the official said.

The cause of the tragedy remains unknown.

Rubaya, home to one of the world's largest coltan reserves, has been under the control of the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group since April 2024.

The Rubaya mining site, which attracts thousands of miners daily, includes both open-pit and underground operations. The area is a key source of coltan, a mineral from which tantalum is extracted.

Tantalum is essential for the production of smartphones, fighter jets, medical implants, and other advanced electronic devices.

Rubaya mines alone are estimated by the United Nations to account for more than 15 per cent of the global tantalum supply.

The eastern DRC has long been plagued by armed conflict and illegal mining activities. Safety conditions in artisanal mining operations are often poor, leading to frequent accidents.

Tensions in the eastern DRC have escalated sharply in recent months, with the M23 group launching renewed offensives in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces.

(IANS)