Research, services and consultancy work on the regional geology (geodynamic evolution) and the mineral resources potential of Precambrian terranes of central African, and on the genetic link between both, with emphasis on Rwanda, Burundi and the DR.Congo.
Professional expertise:
geological fieldwork in tropical (central African) areas
geological mapping in Precambrian crystalline, metamorphic and metsedimentary terrains and in Phanorozoic volcanic domains
use of remote-senting techniques for geological mapping and mineral prospection
use of geomatics (GIS, DBMS) for geological data management and processing
Research topics:
The Meso- and Neoproterozoic(Central African) orogenic belts in and around the Congo craton and their implications on/for Rodinia and Gondwana supercontinent reconstructions
Active, in collaboration with belgian and/or international colleagues in the following long-term resreach topics:
the Mesoproterozoic Karagwe-Ankole (KAR) and Kibara (KIB) belts and their place in the Rodinia supercontinent amalgamation.
the Neoproterozoic West-Congo belt (Gabon-Rep. Congo, DR. Congo, Angola), its links with the Araçuai Belt (Brazil) and their place in the Gondwana amalgamation
the metallogenic history of the KAR and KIB belt
the geological evolution of the "proto-Congo" craton until 1000Ma.
a new geological synthesis of the DR. Congo (supergroup stratigraphy and geodynamic history)
International scientific Services and Consultancy:
My acquired academic knowledge (through research and fieldwork) is put into practice in the scope of my services and consultancy activities. These cover a wide spectrum of topics, from transfer of knowledge towards the African geoscientific community, the implementation of collaborative research and institutional programmes, developing systems and programmes for transfer of information and data using geoinformatics, up to reporting and consulting work for the professional private mining sector, interested in the mineral potential of the DRC, Rwanda and Burundi.
Total of 21 listed international consultancy and/or coordination activities ; see (http://www.africamuseum.be/museum/home/contact/staff/FERNANDEZ-ALONSO_Max/view)
(Field)work in Africa
Since my recruitment as contract geologist by MRAC in 1987, I have carried out +/- 150 work missions abroad. Most of these were missions in Africa of intermediate length (2 weeks – 1 month); although at the start of my career (1978-1989) and more recently (2006 – now) I stay(ed) for several consecutive months in Rwanda and the DRC. The short missions (<2 weeks) were mostly in the scope of meetings, workshops, seminars and colloquia on topics covering a wide spectrum of the African Geology and Mineral resources.
Most of the earlier missions were in the scope of mapping and geological research activities. Later missions were focussed on (inter)national projects for capacity building, institutional and legal reorganisation of African (mining) agencies and involved both fieldwork as transfer of knowledge (seminars, training), implementation of new technologies (GIS? Remote sensing, geomatics). The last years the emphasis shifted on major project development , mamagement and coordination.
Most of this work was carried out in Central Africa (Burundi, D.R. Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Cameroon)and to a lesser extent in southern Africa (Botswana, Swaziland, Zambia, Zuid Africa). Occasionally I worked also in some other African countries (Ethiopia, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Sudan).
