Sierra Leone to Host First PanAfGeo Training on Geohazards and Mine Management

Sierra Leone’s National Minerals Agency is set to host the country’s first PanAfGeo training course, bringing together geologists and specialist trainers for work on geological hazards and mine environmental management.

The programme is scheduled for December 7 to 12, 2026, and is expected to involve approximately 35 geologists and five expert trainers from Africa and Europe. It will combine classroom sessions with practical investigations at selected sites in Sierra Leone.

Field investigations planned

Participants are expected to examine selected hillside areas of Freetown to assess the factors contributing to slope failures and landslides. The field programme is also expected to include geotechnical assessments at amphibolite quarries.

At an active hematite mining site, the trainees are expected to study slope stability and waste management. The exercises are intended to improve the ability of Sierra Leonean geoscientists to identify geological risks, assess vulnerable areas and recommend measures aimed at reducing the effects of hazards.

Preparations for the course included a week-long visit to Freetown by an international team of geologists. The delegation worked with the National Minerals Agency to assess possible field locations and complete technical preparations for the training.

Disaster risk cooperation

The visiting experts also held discussions with the National Disaster Management Agency. Those engagements focused on cooperation involving geoscience data, disaster risk reduction, preparedness and emergency response.

The planned course is part of Sierra Leone’s participation in PanAfGeo+ 2025-2029, the third phase of a programme designed to strengthen geoscientific expertise and cooperation among geological institutions across Africa.

PanAfGeo+ is funded by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships and jointly managed by EuroGeoSurveys, the Organisation of African Geological Surveys and the French Geological Survey, known as BRGM. The initiative has trained more than 1,750 geoscientists across Africa since it was launched in 2016.

The National Minerals Agency’s training is expected to strengthen cooperation with geological institutions in Africa and Europe while building technical capacity in areas linked to mining risks, natural hazards and environmental protection. The course remains planned for December, and the exact venues and final participant list have not been specified.