Finnish teachers train Tanzanians in Lapland to boost African mining sector

Twenty-five Tanzanian vocational teachers are undergoing intensive mining training in Finnish Lapland, with the aim of establishing a new mining education program in their home country by next year.

The group, funded by the EU, is split between Sodankylä and Rovaniemi, where they are learning drilling, blasting, excavation, and equipment maintenance. Most have no prior mining experience but come from fields like welding, metalwork, and electrical engineering.

Janne Laine of Redu Edu, the Finnish training provider, said the focus is on essentials: basic operations and safety. “We concentrate on the most critical aspects, and the training will continue in Tanzania in cooperation with mining companies,” he said. Finnish expertise in safety and environmental practices is a key part of the program.

The initiative supports Tanzania’s plans to expand its mining sector, which has recently seen major discoveries of rare earth metals like neodymium and praseodymium. The EU seeks to secure access to these critical minerals, with the training project also aimed at building trust and market opportunities for European companies in Africa.

Heli Kivisaari of the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) said the collaboration helps pave the way for Finnish and European firms. “Shared efforts make it easier to build markets together,” she noted.

Pekka Suomela of the Finnish Mining Industry Association cautioned that while the training may introduce new methods, changing mining culture requires more than a short course. “The goals are optimistic, but building real expertise and industry practices will take time,” he said.