The cave-in occurred on the “Detroit” mine site at around 3 p.m. local (1300 GMT) following heavy rains, said Emiliane Itongwa, president of the Initiative of Support and Social Supervision of Women.
Itongwa said that around fifty young miners were trapped in the shaft of the mine.
Photos on social media showed hundreds of people gathered on a hillside around the mine-shaft entrance.
The mine was not located on the Kamituga gold concession owned by Canadian miner Banro Corporation, the company’s chief executive said.