About PanAfGeo+
“PanAfGeo+” for “Pan-African Support to Geological Sciences and Technology, Africa-EU Partnership” is a project which supports the training of geoscientific staff from African geological surveys through the development of an innovative training programme. This programme includes the acquisition and development of important professional skills that complement existing qualifications and technical skills. The training programme is carried out by world-class geoscientific experts coming from African and European geological surveys.
PanAfGeo+ is funded by the European Commission (DG INTPA). The consortium of PanAfGeo+ consists of EuroGeoSurveys (EGS) and Organisation of African Geological Surveys (OAGS) coordinated by the French Geological Survey (BRGM). This programme allows trainees to acquire a state-of-the-art tool kit that contains methods and/or field work from eight geoscientific domains or work packages.
WP4 – Geohazard and Environmental Management of Mines
The WP4 training course focuses on natural geological hazards and geological risks associated with human activities, particularly mining and the processing of mineral raw materials.
The course addresses natural hazards including landslides and mass movements, earthquakes, volcanism, floods, soil erosion and desertification. It also considers the environmental impacts associated with mining activities and mineral processing, including impacts on soil, aquatic sediments, surface water, groundwater and air.
The training is primarily aimed at professionals working in applied geology, as well as geochemists specialising in environmental geology.
WP4 is co-organised by the National Minerals Agency (NMA) of Sierra Leone, the Polish Geological Institute – National Research Institute (PGI-NRI), the Council for Geoscience (CGS), the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), the Geological Survey of Slovenia (GeoZS), the Geological Survey of Lithuania (LGT) and the Geological Survey of Sweden (SGU).
Download the call for applications here.
Training Content
The six-day training will be interactive and combine three days of classroom-based lectures with three days of practical fieldwork.
The course will cover:
- Basic principles of geotechnical engineering;
- Slope stability analysis;
- Geological mapping of areas prone to landslides and mass movements;
- The impact of mining on the formation of landslides;
- Geophysics applied to landslides;
- Study of seismicity;
- Introduction to environmental geochemistry;
- Geochemical mapping, from global approaches to detailed studies;
- Soil contamination and its impact on human health;
- Rehabilitation of mining areas to prevent environmental impacts;
- Use of mining waste as raw materials.
During the three-day field exercise, participants will become familiar with landslide processes observed in Sierra Leone, large-scale iron ore mining, safe operating practices, the management of post-mining and post-processing waste, and good practices for protecting the natural environment.
Participants will also carry out their own geotechnical measurements in the field and subsequently analyse the results during the classroom sessions.
All participants will be required to prepare a short multimedia presentation of a maximum of 10 minutes on geological hazards in their country, taking into account the general geological structure.
Key Learning Outcomes
By the end of the training, participants will be able to:
- Identify risks associated with landslides and mass movements;
- Analyse landslide risks in the field;
- Carry out a slope stability assessment;
- Assess potential environmental risks resulting from the extraction and processing of mineral raw materials;
- Plan geochemical studies to assess the impact of mining and raw material processing on the natural environment;
- Explore the recovery and use of mining waste as an anthropogenic source of mineral raw materials.
Who Can Apply?
The training session is open to all individuals eligible under the PanAfGeo Trainee Charter.
To fully benefit from the training, applicants should demonstrate:
- Basic knowledge of geology;
- Proficiency in Excel, including data processing, graph creation and formulas.
Equipment
Participants must bring a laptop with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, or an equivalent software suite such as OpenOffice or LibreOffice installed.
Any specific tools required during the course will be provided by the trainers.
Important Notes
- The Letter of Commitment must be officially approved and signed by the management of your institution.
- A maximum of five applications from the same Geological Survey or equivalent relevant public geological institution will be accepted for the WP4 selection process.
- Following the selection process, a maximum of the two best applications from each country will be shortlisted for the training.
- Incomplete applications, including those without a passport number or confirmation that the passport will remain valid for at least six months after the end of the training, will be automatically excluded.
- Applicants are strongly encouraged to check their passport validity before submitting their application.
Funding
The European Commission fully funds the WP4 training course.
Eligible expenses include:
- International round-trip travel;
- Entry visa fees, where applicable and upon presentation of a receipt;
- Accommodation, breakfast and meals during the training course.
Please note that no daily allowance or health insurance reimbursement will be provided under the PanAfGeo+ programme.
Arrangements concerning travel to the international airport and international health insurance, where required, should be agreed with the applicant’s employer.
Application Instructions
Applicants must submit the following documents in PDF format:
- Completed Application Form
- Signed Letter of Commitment (from the employer)
- Letter of Motivation
- Copy of a passport valid for at least six months after the date of entry into Sierra Leone
Please rename all application documents using your family name followed by a number (e.g. SURNAME_1, SURNAME_2, SURNAME_3), using Latin characters only.
Applications must be submitted through the online portal only: Register here
Deadline for applications: 18 October 2026, 24:00 GMT.
