As the global race for gold, lithium and other critical minerals intensifies, scientists are arguing that Africa’s greatest competitive advantage may lie not only beneath its soil, but in its ability to understand the geology that formed those resources in the first place. That was the central message from leading earth scientists gathered in Accra for the International Association for Structural Geology and Tectonics (IASGT) conference, Department of Earth Science-University of Ghana, The Centre for exploration targeting-University of Western Australia and Agate Project, Australia where researchers from across the world urged African governments to invest more aggressively in geological research, scientific training and modern exploration technologies. Their argument goes beyond academic curiosity.
Better geological knowledge, they say, can improve mineral exploration, reduce mining risks, strengthen environmental management and position Ghana as a regional centre for geoscience research at a time when demand for critical minerals is reshaping the global economy. Bringing world-class science to developing countries For Prof. Manish Mamtani of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, one of IASGT’s priorities is to close the gap between developed and developing countries in structural geology research.
“IASGT brings together people interested in structural geology and tectonics from all over the world. One of our major objectives is to promote structural geology research, particularly in developing countries.” He noted that many international scientific meetings have historically been concentrated in Europe and North America, limiting participation from researchers in Africa, South America and parts of Asia. “Our observation has been that participation from Africa, India, South America and many developing countries has been relatively low.
IASGT is consciously addressing that by bringing internationally recognised scientists together in developing countries so that local scientific communities also benefit.” The strategy reflects a broader shift in global science towards building research capacity where many of the world’s future mineral discoveries are expected to occur. Why structural geology matters Although artificial intelligence and machine learning are transforming mineral exploration, Prof. Mamtani cautioned that technology cannot replace…
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