Mon Nov 17 00:21:00 UTC 2025: News Article:
Congo Mine Bridge Collapse Kills Dozens
Bukavu, Congo – November 17, 2025 – At least 32 people are confirmed dead after a bridge collapsed at a copper and cobalt mine in southeastern Congo on Saturday, November 15th. The incident occurred at the Kalando mine in the Mulondo area of Lualaba province, according to Roy Kaumba Mayonde, the province’s Interior Minister.
Authorities state that illegal miners defied a ban on accessing the site due to heavy rainfall and landslide risks, forcing their way into the mine. A report by the SAEMAPE government agency indicated that gunfire from soldiers on site triggered panic, causing the miners to rush onto the bridge, leading to its collapse and a deadly pile-up. Some sources say as many as 40 people were killed.
The presence of soldiers at the mine has been a point of contention between independent miners, cooperative organizations, and the mine’s legal operators.
Congo is the world’s leading cobalt producer, a key component in electric vehicle batteries. Accusations of child labor, hazardous working environments, and corruption have long shadowed the Congolese cobalt mining sector. The mineral-rich eastern Congo has been plagued by ongoing violence, fueled by government forces and various armed groups, further exacerbating a severe humanitarian crisis.
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