Canada in 3-D: Government - University - Industry:
A Triumvirate for Innovation and Growth
[Insights Gained from the LITHOPROBE Project]

[For PAGSE Annual Meeting, October 24, 2000 in Ottawa]

Ron M. Clowes, C.M., F.R.S.C.
LITHOPROBE, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC

What is LITHOPROBE? LITHOPROBE is a national earth science research project to investigate the 3-dimensional structure and evolution of Canada' landmass and continental margins by probing the lithosphere, Earth's relatively cold, strong, rigid outer shell which is typically 100 km or more thick. This is done to gain a basic understanding of the continent on which we live, from which we derive resources and which generates natural hazards; and to obtain regional background information useful to mining and petroleum industries. The project is multidisciplinary, spearheaded by seismic reflection techniques, but including many components of geology, geochemistry and other geophysics. It also is collaborative, having involved more than 800 scientists from 32 Canadian universities, federal and provincial/territorial geological surveys, the mining and petroleum industries, and international participants. The project comprises 10 study areas across Canada, the geology of which spans 4000 million years, representing a unique scientific opportunity that is being fully exploited.

LITHOPROBE Partnerships. LITHOPROBE's formal partner in the NSERC Research Partners Program is the Geological Survey of Canada. Informal partnerships are associated with the provincial/territorial geological surveys. Both formal and informal arrangements are made with industry as needed to fit research and company objectives. Initiating successful partnerships requires (1) common or complementary objectives, (2) mutual respect for interests of each participant, (3) flexibility within organizations and willingness to take risk, (4) special efforts in "selling" new ideas, and (5) individual "champions" for promotion to companies and for making the case within companies. Some difficulties can be encountered in establishing partnerships: (1) extracting funds from industry, (2) convincing industry of the long term value of the research, (3) bureaucracy associated with partnerships arrangements, and (4) a lack of clear and enticing incentives for industrial partners. Maintaining successful partnerships requires (1) establishment of trust, (2) respect for confidentiality agreements, (3) open communication lines among all partners, (4) adhering to established schedules, and (5) working within established budgets.

Benefits of Partnerships. Government - university - industry partnerships lead to scientific, economic and social benefits. On the scientific side, LITHOPROBE results provide a regional context of improved geological understanding for the petroleum, base-metal, uranium and diamond industries. This point was highlighted with one example related to the petroleum industry and one to the base-metal mining industry. Economic benefits include (1) development of new technologies which have been transferred to industry (e.g., GSC/LITHOPROBE seismic refraction/earthquake portable seismographs to Scintrex Canada of Toronto); (2) new data and interpretations that contributed to a new petroleum discovery on the west coast of Newfoundland; and (3) technological innovation for the base metal and uranium mining industries, specifically demonstration of the applicability of high resolution seismic reflection techniques in mining camps. The latter was illustrated with 2-D profile and 3-D areal survey results in established mining camps. Individual ore deposits have been imaged but the improved subsurface structural information is equally important. At least two companies are using the method as an ongoing exploration procedure. In March 2000, one company announced the first discovery of an ore deposit using 3-D seismic techniques. Social benefits derived from LITHOPROBE include (1) an improved understanding of large earthquake hazards on Canada's west coast and (2) training of highly qualified personnel in an environment of collaborative and multidisciplinary studies.

Summary. Government - University - Industry partnerships do lead to technical innovation, economic growth and social benefits. LITHOPROBE has demonstrated this fact throughout its history as a unique, Canadian research project in the earth sciences.