At least 32 people died on Nov. 15 when a makeshift bridge collapsed at the Kalando copper‑cobalt mine in Lualaba province after crowds of informal miners attempted to cross a flooded trench. Authorities had closed the site because of heavy rain and landslide risk, but thousands of so‑called wildcat miners reportedly entered anyway. A SAEMAPE report says panic erupted after soldiers fired nearby, prompting miners to rush the bridge; the document estimates the toll could be as high as 40. Human rights groups have called for an independent probe into the military’s role amid long‑running disputes over mining control and chronic safety problems in Congo’s cobalt sector.
Deadly Collapse at Kalando Mine: At Least 32 Killed After Makeshift Bridge Gives Way
At least 32 people died on Nov. 15 when a makeshift bridge collapsed at the Kalando copper‑cobalt mine in Lualaba province after crowds of informal miners attempted to cross a flooded trench. Authorities had closed the site because of heavy rain and landslide risk, but thousands of so‑called wildcat miners reportedly entered anyway. A SAEMAPE report says panic erupted after soldiers fired nearby, prompting miners to rush the bridge; the document estimates the toll could be as high as 40. Human rights groups have called for an independent probe into the military’s role amid long‑running disputes over mining control and chronic safety problems in Congo’s cobalt sector.
01:06 PM, 11/17/2025Conflict
At least 32 killed after makeshift bridge collapses at Kalando mine
Location: Kalando copper‑and‑cobalt mine, Lualaba province, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Date: Nov. 15
At least 32 people died when a temporary, improvised bridge at the Kalando mine gave way on Nov. 15 as large numbers of informal miners tried to cross a flooded trench. The collapse occurred despite a formal closure of the site because of heavy rain and an increased risk of landslides, officials said.
Roy Kaumba Mayonde, Lualaba’s interior minister, said the quarry had been closed but that so‑called wildcat or informal miners entered the site anyway. He described the crossing as an improvised structure built to span a waterlogged trench that could not bear the weight of the crowd.
“Despite a formal ban on access to the site because of the heavy rain and the risk of a landslide, wildcat miners forced their way into the quarry,” Roy Kaumba Mayonde said.
Photographs obtained by AFP from the provincial office of the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) showed miners retrieving bodies from the trench; at least 17 bodies were visible near the collapse site in the images. A report from the Congo’s Artisanal and Small‑Scale Mining Support and Guidance Service (SAEMAPE), seen by multiple outlets, says panic broke out after soldiers in the area reportedly fired shots. Miners rushed toward the bridge and it collapsed, leaving many people "piled on top of each other," the report said.
SAEMAPE estimated the death toll could be as high as about 40; authorities initially reported at least 32 fatalities and additional injuries. Operations at Kalando were suspended following the accident.
The Kalando site has long been the subject of disputes between informal diggers organized as a cooperative and the mine’s legal operators. CNDH provincial coordinator Arthur Kabulo told AFP that more than 10,000 wildcat miners work at Kalando, highlighting the scale of informal mining there.
Human rights groups and advocates have called for an independent investigation into the military’s actions and the broader circumstances that led to the collapse, amid reports of clashes between soldiers and miners. The Initiative for the Protection of Human Rights specifically urged scrutiny of the military’s role.
Context: The DRC is the world’s largest producer of cobalt, a critical component in lithium‑ion batteries used in phones, electric vehicles and other electronics. The country’s artisanal mining sector has frequently been criticized over hazardous working conditions, allegations of child labour, and weak regulation — issues underscored by this tragedy.
Sources: Reporting from the Associated Press, Agence France‑Presse (AFP), Al Jazeera, and a SAEMAPE report; images from the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH).
Our condolences go to the families and communities affected by this tragedy. Further updates will follow as investigations and official counts continue.