Montana Tech and the Guinean Ministry of Mining and Geology Partner

Montana Tech and the Guinean Ministry of Mining and Geology (GMMG) are partnering following a visit from the Ministry to the university. Representatives from Guinea were on the campus of Montana Tech recently learning about the educational opportunities. Representing the GMMG were: Mohamed Sylla, deputy general manager of the Mineral Promotion Center; Nfaly Sylla, technical assistant to the Minister and Mamadou Alpha Barry from the Guinean Alliance for Education and Development (GAED), a US-based 501 (C) (3) Organization, which facilitated the visit and partnership, along with the Guinean Embassy in the USA.

"We very much enjoyed meeting the group from Guinea and learning about their capabilities and aspirations," noted Dr. Beverly Hartline, vice chancellor of research at Montana Tech. "We are looking forward to a productive partnership."

Guinean Visit with Beverly HartlineWhile on campus, the group toured Montana Tech's Underground Mine Education Center, which is used for Mining Engineering research and education. The group met with Montana Tech Chancellor Dr. Don Blackketter along with administrators and faculty in the Mining and Geological Engineering Departments. During their visit, they toured the Metallurgical and Environmental Engineering Departments, the Nanotechnology Lab, the Montana Bureau of Mines & Geology and learned about the Ecological Restoration program. Montana Tech has key graduate and undergraduate degree programs in Mining Engineering, Geological Engineering, Geophysics/Exploration, Metallurgical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Industrial Safety, Environmental Engineering, Restoration and many other fields. Hartline added, "Montana Tech is one of only four universities in the United States with all the degree programs needed to find and develop mineral resources, process them, and manage these activities in a safe, environmentally responsible and sustainable manner."

Under this partnership, Montana Tech and the GMMG will:

Design and implement a certificate program tailored to the needs of the Guinean Ministry of Mining and Geology;
Admit qualified Guinean students sponsored by GMMG into Graduate programs at Montana Tech at highly cost-effective rates;
Admit Montana Tech students in Guinea for internship and research purposes facilitated by the Guinean Ministry of Mining and Geology; and
Promote and pursue cooperative activities in areas of mutual interest.
"We are confident that the cooperation with Montana Tech will strongly contribute to strengthening our capacity in order to enable the Ministry to effectively face mineral development challenges in Guinea," explained Abdoulaye Magassouba, Minister of Mines and Geology of Guinea.

For more information, please contact Dr. Beverly Hartline, at 406-496-4456 or bhartline@mtech.edu or Nfaly Sylla at +224654606262 or nsylla@mines.gov.gn.