RUBAYA, Congo, May 18, (AP): Nestled in the green hills of Masisi territory in Congo, the artisanal Rubaya mining site hums with the sound of generators, as hundreds of men labor by hand to extract coltan, a key mineral crucial for producing modern electronics and defense technology - and fiercely sought after worldwide.

Rubaya lies in the heart of eastern Congo, a mineral-rich part of the Central African nation which for decades has been ripped apart by violence from government forces and different armed groups, including the Rwanda-backed M23, whose recent resurgence has escalated the conflict, worsening an already acute humanitarian crisis.

As the US spearheads peace talks between Congo and Rwanda, Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi has sought out a deal with the Trump administration, offering mineral access in return for American support in quelling the insurgency and boosting security. While details of the deal remain unclear, analysts said Rubaya might be one of the mining sites which fall under its scope.

Eastern Congo has been in and out of crisis for decades. The conflict has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises with more than 7 million people displaced, including 100,000 who fled homes this year. The Rubaya mines have been at the center of the fighting, changing hands between the Congolese government and rebel groups.

For over a year now, it has been controlled by the M23 rebels, who earlier this year advanced and seized the strategic city of Goma and Bukavu in a major escalation of the conflict. Despite the country's exceptional mineral wealth, over 70% of Congolese live on less than $2.15 a day. For the men working in the Rubaya’s mines, who rely on the mining for their livelihoods, little has changed over decades of violence.

One of them is Jean Baptiste Bigirimana, who has worked in the mines for seven years. "I earn $40 a month, but that’s not enough," he said. "Children need clothes, education and food. When I divide up the money to see how I will take care of my children, I realize it’s not enough,” he said, adding that he doesn’t know where the minerals he mines go once they leave Rubaya.