The overall objective and impact of the action is to improve the governance and sustainable use of African mineral resources and related infrastructures.

Mineral resources topic constitutes one of the main interest for staff of African Geological Surveys as expressed in the context of the PanAfGeo study.

The specific objective and outcome of WP2 is to strengthen the knowledge and skills of African Geological Surveys staff in Africa’s mineral resources and the mining sector and specifically to give them guidelines so as to accurately assess raw materials (i.e. metals, industrial rocks and minerals). With their expertise and data they can contribute to informed decision-making, good governance and sustainable use of mineral resources, as well as provide information to other stakeholders, clients and civil society.

WP2 is led by Geological Survey Finland (GTK) with the technical and scientific assistance of Geological Survey Agency of Nigeria (NGSA) and Geological Survey of Namibia (GSN).

The trainings convene participants from many African countries and will provide opportunities for the attendants to discuss experiences and lessons learned and to establish or reinforce networks and dialogue between European and African Geological Surveys

The training programme consists of a wide range of topics related to mineral resources such as:

• Assessment and evaluation of ore and industrial mineral potential;
• Assessment and evaluation of resources suitable for construction materials, dimension stones and aggregates;
• Promotion and marketing of minerals, mineral potential and other georesources;
• Understanding of the international mining sector;
• Sustainable management of mineral resources.

The preparation and implementation of WP2 is carried out in collaboration by staff of European and African Geological Surveys. The training sessions will be delivered in different countries around in Africa, altogether seven times and each session will be twelve days. Up to twenty trainees can participate to each session. The trainers are from Europe and Africa.

It is proposed that some of the trainings will be delivered jointly with WP4 (Mining environments). Indeed, both work-packages focus on closely related and important topics of mineral resources. A joint approach is expected to be a successful way for versatile knowledge transfer.

The overall objective and impact of PanAfGeo is to improve the governance and sustainable use of African mineral resources and related infrastructures. WP4 aims to bring solutions for managing environmental problems related to mining by using geosciences to understand, predict and prevent environmental impacts caused by mining activities.

WP4 is led by Geological Survey of Sweden (SGU) with the technical and scientific assistance of Botswana Geoscience Institute and the Geological Survey of Senegal (MIM-DPPM).

Regional trainings will provide opportunities for the attendants to discuss experiences and lessons learned and to establish networks for future sustainable cooperation on a regional and sub-regional scale. The programs delivered will be adapted to the region. Moreover, this topic will enhance a fruitful dialogue on mineral resources between European and African Geological Surveys and finally between African Geological Surveys and other relevant stakeholders (i.e. civil society, private sector).

The proposed training programme will consist of a wide range of topics related to environmental management of mines:

• Assessment and evaluation of the situation and status, with relation to mining and the affected environment;
• Assessment and evaluation of resources and measures suitable and available for remediation, rehabilitation and sustainability in relation to mining operations;
• Risk analysis of mining operations and various means and methods it implicates that can affect the environment;
• Promotion and marketing of environmentally friendly practices for mining;
• Sustainable management of environmentally sound mining.

The preparation and implementation of WP4 is carried out in collaboration by staff of European and African Geological Surveys. The training sessions will be delivered in different countries around in Africa, altogether seven times during 2017-2019 and each session will be twelve days. Up to twenty trainees can participate to each session. The trainers are from Europe and Africa.

It is proposed that some of the trainings will be delivered jointly with WP2 (Mineral Resources). Indeed, both work-packages focus on closely related and important topics. A joint approach is expected to be a successful way for a versatile knowledge transfer.

Geohazards are events caused by geological features and processes that present severe threats to humans, property and the natural and built environment. Currently, disasters due to geological hazards have a far smaller impact on Sub-Saharan Africa than those due to hydro-meteorological hazards. However, the impact of these hazards may change in future. Change of impacts may depend on climate change, leading to intensification of the geohazards related with hydro-meteorogical conditions. Also, with increasing urbanisation, hazard risk will increase due to increasing vulnerability. Therefore,  geohazards mapping must be planned and carried out applying risk-hazard-vulnerability matrix not only at present situation  but considering future conditions.

In Africa, the main known geohazards are earthquakes and volcanic activity; mass movements; flooding; gully and coast erosion and various geoenvironmental (anthropogenic) hazards: pollution of aquifers and surface environment due to mining activity (gold, hydrocarbons, copper, uranium, coral sands etc.); toxic gas emissions; radioactive soil radiation; heavy metal contamination in urban drainage system; waste disposal, etc.  With more than 40% of the population living below the poverty line, Sub-Saharan Africa is also the least-equipped and prepared continent to cope with the impacts of these events.

Majority of the African geological surveys are involved in geohazards activities and are interested in cooperation under the EGS-OAGS project. However, information sources on geohazards analysis are different in each survey. On the basis of analysis of information sources on geohazards, it is almost obvious that systematised data portals or data bases are not available. Most of the respondent surveys indicated very different needs and expectations in the field of geohazards analysis.

Planned activities will be concentrated in the following  areas: methodologies; trainings and transfer of knowledge; delivery of equipment; mapping, inventory and monitoring of geohazards.

Four training courses will be organized during realization of the 3-year PanAfGeo project.

Training in geohazards will be performed by LGT, ISPRA, GeoZS and PGI–NRI