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Mining Bridge Collapse in DR Congo Kills at Least 32.
The collapse of a bridge at the Kalando copper and cobalt mine in southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo has resulted in a devastating death toll of at least 32 people, a tragedy that unfolded on Saturday under the weight of overcrowding, according to regional government official Roy Kaumba Mayonde. Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, the Lualaba province’s interior minister revealed the grim details, confirming that the disaster occurred despite explicit prohibitions on accessing the site, which had been deemed perilously unstable following heavy rainfall and a high risk of landslides.This incident is not an isolated one but rather a stark symptom of the broader, systemic crises plaguing the DRC's artisanal mining sector, where desperate individuals, often referred to as 'illegal diggers,' routinely brave life-threatening conditions in a bid to eke out a living from the earth's riches. The Lualaba province is the heartland of the global cobalt supply, a mineral essential for the batteries powering our smartphones, electric vehicles, and the green energy transition, yet the human cost of this extraction remains catastrophically high.Local reports and organizations like Southern Africa Resource Watch have long documented the precarious nature of these informal mining operations, where safety protocols are virtually nonexistent, and tunnels and infrastructure are often makeshift and dangerously overloaded. The Kalando mine tragedy echoes a similar collapse in Kolwezi just last year that claimed over a dozen lives, highlighting a recurring pattern of neglect and a failure to implement and enforce meaningful safety reforms.For the families in Mulondo and surrounding communities, this is more than a statistic; it is a profound, personal loss that ripples through a region where many depend on this hazardous work for survival, driven by poverty and a lack of alternative livelihoods. The Congolese government, while quick to issue statements and temporary bans, faces an immense challenge in regulating a sector that is deeply intertwined with both local survival and immense international economic interests, where global demand for cobalt creates a powerful incentive for this informal, and often illicit, activity to continue unabated.This disaster forces a critical examination of the entire supply chain, from the muddy, treacherous pits of the DRC to the clean, polished showrooms of tech and automotive giants, raising urgent ethical questions about corporate responsibility and the true price of our modern conveniences. Without concerted international pressure, substantial investment in formalizing the artisanal mining sector, and the creation of viable economic alternatives for local populations, such preventable tragedies are destined to repeat themselves, casting a long, dark shadow over the promise of a technologically advanced and sustainable future.
#DR Congo
#mining accident
#bridge collapse
#casualties
#illegal mining
#Lualaba province
#featured
