Senegal's National Geological Survey (SGNS) — a public industrial and commercial entity created by decree in 2022 — has kicked off the preparation phase of a flagship project for the country's extractive sector: the Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System Laboratory (LTSIG). Far from being a single-purpose technical facility, the LTSIG is being designed as a fully integrated center of excellence in applied geosciences, dedicated to exploration and to the knowledge of the country's mineral resources. The ambition is clear: give Senegal a modern, sovereign geoscientific infrastructure on par with the world's leading geological surveys.
A project rooted in national strategy
The LTSIG sits at the heart of the first strategic priority of the SGNS Development Plan for 2025–2029, which focuses on strengthening the country's geoscientific infrastructure. The laboratory is intended to deliver on several commitments set out in that plan:
- producing interpretive geological maps at the national scale;
- building geoscientific databases that meet international standards;
- assessing Senegal's potential in strategic and critical minerals;
- modernizing the decision-support tools available to the State and to mining operators.
Six geoscientific disciplines under one roof
What makes the LTSIG stand out is the breadth of its scientific scope. Rather than specialising in a single technique, the laboratory will bring six technical pillars together within a single infrastructure:
- Field geology and mapping: surveys, sampling, petrographic analysis.
- Geophysics: magnetometry, gravimetry, electromagnetics, seismic, radiometry.
- Geochemistry: multi-element analysis via ICP-MS, XRF, infrared spectroscopy, fire assay.
- Remote sensing: multispectral and hyperspectral satellite imagery, radar, LiDAR, drones.
- Geological information system (SIGM): databases and a public geoportal.
- 3D modelling and artificial intelligence: predictive mineral mapping, geoscientific deep learning.
This integration will allow the LTSIG to deliver multi-source analyses across the entire national territory, surface exploration targets for mining operators, and provide value-added services to partner administrations.
A partnership with the IAG–AUYAN consortium
The project is led by the SGNS in partnership with the IAG–AUYAN consortium, which has been supporting the agency since the signing of a memorandum of understanding in May 2026. The African Institute of Geomatics (IAG), a Senegalese company founded and led by Professor Souleye Wade, brings the consortium its geosciences expertise along with deep academic and institutional roots in Senegal. AUYAN, a European company led by Dr Alix Leroy, contributes its expertise in artificial intelligence and remote sensing technologies. Together, the consortium covers the full value chain of the project, from geoscientific fundamentals to state-of-the-art digital tools.
"Helping Senegal build a center of excellence like the LTSIG is a tremendous source of pride for AUYAN. It is precisely why we founded this company: to put the most advanced remote sensing and AI technologies in the hands of governments that want to take command of their own subsoil and build solid governance on trustworthy data. The LTSIG will not be just another laboratory — it is meant to become the digital backbone of Senegalese geosciences, and a model of technology and governance for other countries around the world."
— Dr Alix Leroy, founder and president of AUYAN
A regional ambition
Over time, the LTSIG aims to support several national priorities: making Senegal a more attractive mining destination, strengthening the fiscal revenues and royalties generated by the extractive sector, and positioning the country as a regional reference in geosciences.
About
The SGNS, led by Dr Rokhaya Samba Diène, sits under the technical supervision of the Ministry in charge of Geology and the financial supervision of the Ministry of Finance. Its core mission is to produce, process, interpret and disseminate Senegal's national geoscientific data.
Press contact
Want to learn more about the digital tools that will power the LTSIG and about the IAG–AUYAN consortium's approach? Reach out to our team.
