More than 200 people died on Tuesday in a landslide triggered by heavy rains ​at the Rubaya coltan mine in eastern Democratic Republic ‌of Congo, the country's mines ministry said on Wednesday.

A senior official from the AFC/M23 rebel group, which controls the mine, told Reuters ​earlier that only five or six died in the ​accident.

Rubaya produces around 15% of the world's coltan, ⁠which is processed into tantalum, a heat-resistant metal that is ​in high demand by makers of mobile phones, computers, aerospace ​components and gas turbines.

The site, which has been under the control of the AFC/M23 rebel group since 2024, was recently added to a ​shortlist of mining assets being offered by the Congolese ​government to the United States under a minerals cooperation framework.

"The damaged site ‌is ⁠one of those where continued operation had been discouraged pending the securing of the area and the implementation of protective measures for miners. The incident is due to the heavy ​rains of the ​last few ⁠days," another senior AFC/M23 official told Reuters.

The mines ministry said that around 70 children were ​among the victims and that many injured were ​evacuated ⁠to health facilities in the city of Goma.

An M23 spokesperson wasn't immediately available for comment on the government's toll.

The latest incident ⁠came ​a month after another disaster at ​the site killed more than 200 people in late January.