In the mist-shrouded highlands of Masisi, located in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the town of Rubaya has once again surfaced as a strategic flashpoint in the global rush for rare minerals. This remote and mountainous region—rich in columbite-tantalite, or coltan—has been under the control of the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group since April 2024. According to United Nations data, Rubaya alone supplies over 15 percent of the world’s tantalum, a rare metal integral to the production of smartphones, aerospace technologies, and medical devices.
M23’s occupation of Rubaya’s mining sector marks a stark transformation of both the local landscape and the international mineral supply chain. The group has installed a de facto administration, including what observers have labelled a “mining ministry,” that oversees extraction, permits, taxation, and trade. This informal governance structure imposes stringent controls over all mining operations, favouring select buyers and regulating export routes via neighbouring countries. A UN Group of Experts report reveals that this framework generates revenues exceeding USD 800,000 per month from the trade of approximately 120 metric tonnes of coltan.
Situated at an altitude of nearly 2,000 metres, Rubaya’s terrain is steep, fractured, and physically demanding. The mine itself cascades down the slopes like a giant staircase carved into the soil. Congolese miners—around 10,000, according to M23 figures—descend daily into claustrophobic vertical shafts, where oxygen pumps are essential to prevent suffocation. Despite the arduous conditions, local miners demonstrate a remarkable physical resilience. Each relay of ore extracted by hand is passed upwards in a human chain that speaks to both determination and desperation.
While M23 officials assert that minors and pregnant women are barred from the mining sites, field observations by journalists from Xinhua confirm the visible presence of teenage boys and women within the workforce. A local trader, speaking anonymously, noted that “almost every child in Rubaya spends half their life working in this mine.” Though the rebel group reportedly offers miners higher wages—often double the USD 3 a day they previously earned under state oversight—this increase is widely viewed as a tactical blend of coercion and incentive.
The surrounding hills, buzzing with economic activity, host makeshift bazaars where traders sell food, tools, and basic supplies. Above it all, M23 fighters monitor the slopes from outposts and trail patrols. The group’s manifesto reportedly prohibits the use of firearms inside mining zones, although their omnipresence reinforces the coercive control of the terrain.
This exploitation extends beyond mining. Villagers and local communities are often subjected to salongo—a term formerly used to describe voluntary community service, now repurposed to signify compulsory, unpaid labour. Civilians are frequently forced to construct and maintain roads critical for mineral transport under duress, according to testimonies collected by UN observers.
The mineral wealth of Rubaya, under rebel control, has resulted in what the United Nations characterises as the “largest contamination of mineral supply chains in the Great Lakes region in a decade.” The implications for global electronics and defence industries are profound. The presence of conflict minerals—coltan extracted under conditions of armed occupation, child labour, and human rights abuses—raises urgent questions about ethical sourcing and international accountability.
Bintou Keita, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in the DRC, warned the UN Security Council in 2024 that M23’s parallel governance in Rubaya poses a severe threat to Congolese sovereignty. She reported that rebel appointees now serve as unofficial governors and mineral administrators, systematically eroding the central government’s authority in the region.
As the world continues to depend on tantalum for technological advancement, the ethical cost of this dependence becomes increasingly difficult to ignore. The situation in Rubaya serves as a sobering reminder that the global economy’s pursuit of strategic resources often unfolds at the expense of peace, human dignity, and national integrity.
