DR Congo: Over 200 Dead in Coltan Mine Collapse

Establishment-critical narrative

Rubaya is one of the world’s key coltan sources, yet the recent mine collapse underscores how miners often work in dangerous conditions for survival wages while the minerals move through Rwanda into global supply chains, powering global electronics. Meanwhile, the EU and the U.S. focus on securing steady and inexpensive access to critical minerals, advancing deals that largely keep Africa confined to raw extraction while refining, processing and most profits concentrate in Western economies.