By Obiabin Onukwugha
More than 200 persons,.including women and children have been killed in a mine.that collapsed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
It was gathered that the mine collapsed in Rubaya town, after heavy rains. Around 20 survivors are also said to be receiving treatment in hospital.
It was also gathered that the site was not properly maintained, making accidents more likely and hampering rescue efforts when they occur.
The mines in Rubaya hold about 15% of the world’s coltan supply and half of the DR Congo’s total deposits.
The metallic ore contains tantalum, which is used to produce high-performance capacitors in a range of electronic devices, making it in high demand worldwide.
Meanwhile, Governor Erasto Musanga has visited survivors of the incident .
BBC reported on Saturday that women and children were among those mining coltan – a mineral used to manufacture electronics such as smartphones and computers at the time of the collapse.
