Tragic news: At least 32 killed after bridge collapses at DRC copper & cobalt mine | investingLive
At least 32 people were killed after a bridge collapsed at a copper and cobalt mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, officials said, with some reports placing the toll even higher.
The incident occurred Saturday at the Kalando mine in Lualaba province, where heavy rains had prompted authorities to ban access due to landslide risks. Despite the order, large numbers of informal, or “wildcat,” miners forced their way into the site.
Provincial interior minister Roy Kaumbe Mayonde said the miners crowded onto a makeshift bridge built to cross a flooded trench, causing it to give way. A report by SAEMAPE — the government body overseeing artisanal and small-scale mining — said gunfire from soldiers stationed at the quarry triggered panic, prompting miners to flee toward the bridge. The sudden rush caused a crush that sent people falling into the trench, leaving bodies “piled on top of each other.”
While Mayonde confirmed at least 32 deaths, the SAEMAPE report said the toll could be at least 40, with more casualties likely as recovery efforts continue.
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The tragedy underscores deep safety and governance challenges in mining, a sector critical to global cobalt supply chains and closely watched by commodity markets.