PRESS CONTACT

As South Africa prepares to host the first International Geological Congress held in Africa, from 27 August to 4 September 2016, Europe’s geological surveys are working together on a joint cooperation programme with their African counterparts, with sup-port from the European Union. With its coordinator position on the PanAfGeo training project, the BRGM - the French geological survey - has confirmed its international stature in geosciences. The BRGM is running several major geological mapping and mineral assessment projects in the Republic of Congo, Chad and Malawi, as well as projects in South America, the Middle East and Europe. Altogether, the BRGM conducts some 80 projects in 30 countries each year. As well as mapping, mineral inventories and databases, these projects address geosciences issues in every field, such as access to water, natural risks and geothermal energy.

The BRGM across the globe :Geoscience support for government institutions

Arthur de Pas (0033)2 38 64 46 65 (0033)6 84 27 94 14 presse@brgm.fr

1

PRES

S RE

LEA

SE

BRGM ACTIVITIES ACROSS THE GLOBE: FROM TRAINING TO GEOLOGICAL MAPPING PRESS RELEASE 2

1/ PanAfGeo, a project for geoscience training in Africa

A great many countries are facing increasing challenges in the area of mineral resources. This is particularly true of emerging economies where demand is growing rapidly, and also of European Union countries grappling with supply problems on a highly competitive market. The support of geological surveys like the BRGM, which are responsible for supplying information on subsoil resources and natural risks, has therefore become fundamental to the management and regulation of national resources. Their tasks - such as mapping and inventories - demand specific technical, scientific and human means. Although the mineral sector is often the main pillar of the economy in African countries, their geological survey organisations have not developed sufficiently for lack of resources.

Given this situation, the main goals of the PanAfGeo project are to reinforce skills among African geologists in different fields of geosciences, in particular for mineral resources governance, and to consolidate cooperation between European and African geological surveys. To do so, a large-scale training operation is to be conducted across the African continent by the 12 European partners of the project, who will work closely with their African counterparts on the spot.

>>>

A consortium of 12 European geological surveys, coordinated by the BRGM, is undertaking a major training project for their African counterparts. Conducted under the aegis of the European Union, the ultimate aim of this project, named PanAfGeo, is to support the development of the mineral resources sector across the African continent, while helping to strengthen links between Europe and Africa.

A field course for second-year Master’s students from Brazzaville’s Marien N’Gouabi University (Republic of Congo, 2014)© BRGM

European project

LÉGEND PAGE 1 : NEW EDITION OF THE 1:10,000,000 GEOLOGICAL MAP OF AFRICA

A new 1:10,000,000 geological map of Africa, updated through ten years of scientific study and complying with international standards for map legends and presentation, is to be published by the BRGM for the 35th International Geological Congress in Cape Town.

As the fruit of collaborative work between the scientific committee of the IGC (International Geological Congress), the CGMW (UNESCO Commission for the Geological Map of the World) and the Geological Society of Africa (GSAF), coordinated by the BRGM and with contributions from numerous co-authors on specific aspects, the map reflects several notable advances.A great deal of work has been done to update the legends, by incorporating the standards of the international chronostratigraphic chart published by the International Commission on Stratigraphy. The names used for the different chronological periods have been harmonised, so that «age» is now the first input parameter for map searches, with the nature of the rock in second place. The colour range attributed to a given period in time has also been harmonised, so that the period characterising a given region is immediately apparent.

BRGM ACTIVITIES ACROSS THE GLOBE: FROM TRAINING TO GEOLOGICAL MAPPING PRESS RELEASE 3

THE AFRICA MINING VISION (AMV) - UNITED NATIONS, 2009

This programme was adopted by African Heads of State in 2009, in response to a paradoxical situation: although Africa’s subsoils contain some of the richest mineral resources on Earth, its populations are among the poorest in the world. The programme, funded by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), is designed to develop responsible mining locally for the benefit of Africa’s populations, and to strengthen the governance of mineral resources in African countries.

Outcropping geological formations in the Wadi Fira region (Republic of Chad, 2016)© BRGM

>>> 1/PanAfGeo, a project for geoscience training in Africa

Training topics under PanAfGeoSome fifty training sessions are planned across Africa. Covering geological

mapping to geoscientific data management, mineral resources assessment to geohazards, small-scale mining to environmental management of mines, the geoheritage to communication, the project’s originality lies in its comprehensive and integrated coverage of eight topics areas through formal training and/or field courses. The sessions on each topic area will be led by one European and two African geological surveys.

As an example, geological mapping - the major training topic addressed by the project - will be organised by the Czech Republic’s geological survey (CGS) with the geological surveys of Ethiopia (GSE) and Malawi (GSD). Over a three-week period, the trainees will receive classroom instruction on theory as well as practical training in the field, on mapping but also on collecting, storing and distributing the geological data acquired. Each trainee taking a course will receive a set of course materials and a field kit (including compass, geological hammer, GPS and laptop).

At least three sessions on each topic will be organised, each time in a different African country.

54 participating countries in AfricaThe training courses offered under the project will be open to all African countries, 54

altogether. The expert trainers will be leading courses in English, French and Portuguese in the different African regions. Priority will be given to course applicants working for a national geological surveys or government body.

The PanAfGeo programme rests on strengthened cooperation between the umbrella organisations for each continent, EuroGeoSurveys and the Organisation of African Geological Surveys (OAGS). PanAfGeo has been developed in continuity with several other assistance and reorganisation programmes introduced in recent years (the UN «Africa Mining Vision» in 2009, the «Joint Africa-EU Strategy» in 2014, see Box), all with the common aims of improving knowledge on the geology of Africa and building up the capacities of African geological surveys.

JOINT AFRICA-EU STRATEGYEU 2014

During the EU-Africa Summit, a roadmap for 2014-2017 was adopted by African and European Heads of State and government leaders. This roadmap concerns the implementation of joint strategies in 5 main areas: peace and security, democracy, good governance and human rights.

12European partners

10 Million € over 3 years

14African partners

1200people trained

KEY FIGURES

BRGM ACTIVITIES ACROSS THE GLOBE: FROM TRAINING TO GEOLOGICAL MAPPING PRESS RELEASE 4

2/ Examples of geological projects under way

The great majority of African countries are experiencing rapid economic growth and ever-increasing regional and international demand for mineral resources. To develop and manage these resources, they need to be better known and the geology of the countries concerned better understood. This is why the BRGM is involved in several important projects to map subsoils, assess resources and provide trainings. The field of application of its expert knowledge is vast, from geophysical surveys to the organisation of geoscientific data for the countries concerned.

17 geological maps produced for the Republic of CongoThe last geological mapping surveys in the Republic of Congo were made more

than 30 years ago. To update knowledge on the country’s geology, the BRGM took part in 2 projects. The first one (2012-2014), financed by Total, produced seven 1:200,000 geological maps covering the southern regions.

The other (2013 -2015), financed by the Brazilian company Asperbras, produced ten further geological maps to 1:200,000 to complete coverage of the country: four for the southern part and six for the northern part as far as the border with Cameroon.

These projects also included training for Congolese geologists: for 3 weeks a year, 24 Congolese students in their 2nd Master’s degree year were mentored by four BRGM geologists and two lecturers from Marien Ngouabi University in Brazzaville.

Launch of a comprehensive geological mapping programme in MalawiUnder a framework agreement with France, a consortium of three geological

surveys piloted by the BRGM has just launched a geological mapping and mineral resources inventory programme with the State of Malawi, covering the entire country. This 4 1/2-year project will produce geological maps to the scale of 1:100,000, 1:250,000 and 1:1,000,000 and conduct an exhaustive inventory of the country’s mining potential. As well as the geological maps, the project will produce an atlas of geohazards and an inventory of artisanal and small-scale mining activities.

Training is a major component in this project. It will be provided through mentoring in the field, short or long courses abroad, projects on specific topics - either in the premises of consortium members or in specialised centres - and diploma courses (Masters and PhD). The courses will be offered to geologists working for Malawi’s geological survey, who will be actively involved in the project’s implementation.

This project was selected under an international call for tenders. As well as the BRGM, it involves the geological surveys of Finland (GTK) and South Africa (CGS).

The Republic of Congo, Malawi, Cameroon and Chad are among the countries where the BRGM is conducting projects to map and assess mineral resources.

>>>

A geological survey on the banks of the Niari River (Republic of Congo, 2013)© B. LE BAYON - BRGM

Planned coverage of the 1:100,000 geological maps to be produced by the Malawi project© BRGM

mining inventories

BRGM ACTIVITIES ACROSS THE GLOBE: FROM TRAINING TO GEOLOGICAL MAPPING PRESS RELEASE 5

>>> 2/ Examples of geological projects under way

New project in CameroonA geological and geochemistry mapping programme, which includes the

production of a Geological and Mining Information System, has just been launched (July 2016) by the BRGM in Cameroon, with funding from the World Bank and partnered by Finland’s GTK and a Cameroonian company, BEIG3. This 6.8 M€ project is being undertaken as part of the PRECASEM project for capacity-building in the mining sector. Some fifteen experts will be working for 30 months on the project, which focuses on central Cameroon. The three main project components are: production of 13 geological maps to the scale of 1:200,000; mineral explorations across the entire area with some 50,000 samples ot be taken; creation of a Geological and Mining Information System to distribute the information gathered and promote Cameroon’s mining sector. The project also includes a training and skills transfer component which will benefit Cameroon’s scientific and institutional players.

Towards a mineral resources inventory for ChadThe BRGM and the Republic of Chad are discussing a project for a mineral

resources inventory in East-Central Chad, with the production of 8 geological maps to the scale of 1:200,000 covering this high-potential zone. A reconnaissance survey was conducted in early 2016 to define the logistics, security, scientific and diplomatic arrangements for the future project. The BRGM had made an initial survey in the 1960s to 1970s to identify Chad’s main geological units, and a synthesis of knowledge on Chad’s geology had been produced under a project entitled «Development and promotion of the mining sector: reconstruction of historical documentation on the Republic of Chad». A large quantity of data held by the Chad Ministry’s document centre and the BRGM archives was sorted, digitised and delivered to the government of Chad, as well as a 1:1,500,000 map synthesising the country’s geology.

Outcropping geological formations in the Wadi Fira region (Republic of Chad, 2016)© BRGM

GEOCHEMISTRY SURVEYS FOR BURKINA FASO

Since October 2015, the BRGM has been providing technical assistance for geochemistry surveys of stream sediments in south-western Burkina Faso. The main purpose of the project was to draw up a guide to favourable mineral prospecting targets, using regional geological maps of non-outcropping zones, and to acquire further knowledge on the natural distribution of chemical elements that may have an impact on the environment as a result of mining activities in the zones concerned. Five teams supervised by BUMIGEB (geological survey of Burkina Faso) took samples in the field with the assistance of 3 BRGM experts. This survey is part of the PADSEM project to support the development of Burkina Faso’s mining sector, financed by the World Bank.

BRGM ACTIVITIES ACROSS THE GLOBE: FROM TRAINING TO GEOLOGICAL MAPPING PRESS RELEASE 6

3/ BRGM activities across the globe

The BRGM is the French geological survey organisation and France’s leading public institution working on Earth Science applications for the management of surface and subsurface resources and risks. Its activities are geared to scientific research, support to public policy development and international cooperation.

From mineral resources to water and natural risks through to geothermal energy Internationally, as in France, the BRGM provides know-how and expertise in two main areas :

• geological knowledge infrastructure, from geological mapping to information systems;

• mineral resources, with a particular focus on challenges concerning rare metals; • access to water: protecting water and prospecting for new resources,

sustainable water management methods;• natural risks and preventive action, particularly for seismic and volcanic

risks and those arising directly from climate change; • geothermal energy for heat and power production, as well as geological

storage of CO2 as a response to climate change.

With over 80 projects each year in more than 30 countries, BRGM works across the globe to secure lasting protection for people and resources.

>>>

The Morila open-cast gold mine in Mali, identified by a GIS project on the mining environment (Mali, 2009) © BRGM

Géosciences

BRGM ACTIVITIES ACROSS THE GLOBE: FROM TRAINING TO GEOLOGICAL MAPPING PRESS RELEASE 7

>>> 3/ BRGM activities across the globe

Rural water supplies: drilling for water at Larba-Birno (Niger) © BRGM

The new version of the hydrogeological map of Africa, published in July 2016, shows the position of the main sedimentary basins with substantial groundwater resources.

USEFU L LI N KS

Africa-Europe Georesources Observation System : http://www.aegos-project.orgweb app for worldwide online coverage of geological risks : http://www.thinkhazard.orgthe BRGM website in English : http://www.brgm.eu

Main international BRGM clientsThe BRGM works for international development assistance organisations, States and leading companies involved in environment, natural resources and planning.

It is specifically involved in:• contributions to French cooperation policy;• policy-development support to the EU, the World Bank and other multilateral

agencies and States;• services to businesses;• participation in the work of international geological bodies.

A LONG HISTORY WITH AFRICA

From 1975, the BRGM began to deploy specific activities in Africa, in Morocco and Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo), in Nigeria and elsewhere. During this time, large mineral deposits were discovered, as in Gabon following the Trans-Gabon mineral resources inventory (1981-1986), in Morocco and Tunisia where zinc deposits were found in 1984, or in Côte d’Ivoire where gold extraction from the Ity deposit began in 1990. But the BRGM’s most notable contributions were to large-scale continent-wide projects. In the 1980s, for example, 1470 wells were drilled across Africa under water supply projects for rural areas. 1998 saw the first moves to develop geographic information systems for Africa, with the SIGAfrique project. Since 2000, data management projects of this kind have continued, for example with the AEGOS project (Africa-Europe Georesources Observation System).