Horrific video captures moment Congo copper mine collapses; at least 32 dead

At least 32 people died after an unlicensed copper mine collapsed in the village of Mulondo in southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Lualaba Province governor Fifi Massuka said on Sunday (Nov 16). A government agency official reportedly said that the death toll was actually 49, and about 20 others were taken to the hospital in a very serious condition. The collapse happened on Saturday (Nov 15) at the Kalando mining site in Lualaba.

Watch the video below -

The DRC is the world’s largest supplier of cobalt, producing over 70 per cent of the global supply. Cobalt is an important material which is used in batteries for electric cars, laptops and mobile phones.

A report from SAEMAPE, a government agency that oversees small-scale mining groups, said that the presence of soldiers at the site triggered panic among the miners.

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A human rights group has demanded an independent inquiry into the military’s actions, citing reports of clashes between miners and soldiers. Although the army has not yet commented.

Roy Kaumba, the provincial interior minister, also told reporters that 32 deaths had been confirmed.

In Congo, small-scale mining is very common and directly employs up to 2 million people, while supporting more than 10 million others. However, accidents are common because many of these mining sites are informal and have poor regulation.

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Miners often work with almost no safety gear and in dangerous and unstable conditions. Each year, people are killed as they dig deep underground mining spots in hopes of finding more minerals.