An accident involving a bridge collapse at the Kalando semi-industrial copper mine in Lualaba province in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has left several people dead, according to the country’s artisanal mining agency.
An agency official told Reuters thar 49 people were killed and 20 others were hospitalised in critical condition following the incident in the south-east of the country.
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The DRC’s Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Support and Guidance Service (SAEMAPE) was cited by the news agency as saying: “The collapse was caused by panic, reportedly triggered by gunfire from military personnel securing the site.”
The agency added: “Miners then piled on top of each other, causing injuries and death.”
Lualaba Provincial Interior Minister Roy Kaumba said in a televised statement that 32 people had been confirmed dead so far.
The Initiative for the Protection of Human Rights has called for an independent investigation into the military’s role in the deaths, citing reports of clashes between miners and soldiers.
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By GlobalDataA military spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment, as reported by Reuters.
Artisanal mining is a significant source of employment in the DRC, directly involving an estimated one-and-a-half to two million people and supporting more than ten million indirectly.
However, mining accidents are frequent in these largely unregulated operations, with dozens of fatalities reported each year as diggers often work in unsafe conditions.
According to authorities, overcrowding and panic was allegedly sparked by soldiers’ gunfire, resulting in the bridge collapse at the copper and cobalt mine.
The report highlighted that long-standing disputes have centred around the military’s involvement in securing the mine.
The DRC is said to be the world’s largest producer of cobalt, a mineral essential for manufacturing lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles and other products.
Chinese companies control around 80% of cobalt production in the country.
The mining sector in the DRC has faced ongoing scrutiny over accusations of child labour, unsafe working conditions and corruption.
The eastern DRC, although rich in minerals, has experienced decades of violence involving government forces and armed groups such as the Rwanda-backed M23.
The resurgence of these groups has intensified conflict in the region, deepening an already severe humanitarian situation.
