As a comprehensive and research-intensive university, Lakehead strives to develop partnerships and support the needs of industry in terms of research and innovation. Lakehead University is continually recognized nationally and globally and has been ranked the top in Canada by Research Infosource in its category for research income. 

The University has a long history of supporting the mining sector in Northern Ontario through research partnerships, analytical services and workforce development.

For example:

• The Geology Department at Lakehead has trained the next generation of outstanding geoscientists for careers in the minerals industry, government and academia for more than 50 years. The department is focused on traditional aspects of geology with both Undergraduate and Graduate program that trains in the skills needed by industry .

• Lakehead's Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Mining and Exploration (CESME) is a multidisciplinary research Centre of geologists, chemical engineers, biologists, economists and environmental scientists, focused on supporting the mining sector through research partnerships. CESME actively coordinates "Discovery Days" with organizations that enable researchers at Lakehead to present their work to company reps on specific challenges identified within the company.

• Lakehead’s NOHFC Industrial Research Chair in Mineral Exploration, Dr. Pete Hollings, has developed collaborations with multiple industry partners exploring for and developing critical metal deposits including Impala Canada, Clean Air Metals, Generation Mining, Evolution and Goldshore. With support from NSERC, these partnerships are developing new models for a diverse range of Ni-Cu-PGE (nickel, copper, platinum-group elements) mineralization styles and training the next generation of geoscience professionals. 

The University is home to several labs that are fully accessible to industry and other stakeholders for their analytical testing needs.

The Environmental Laboratory is ISO 17025 accredited by the Canadian Association for Laboratory Accreditation and offers multi-parameter testing of soils, sediments, biological tissues, vegetation, waters and specific chemicals.

The Aquatic Toxicology Research Centre (ATRC) is an ISO17025:2017 accredited facility that specializes in regulatory testing/monitoring of the effects of effluents on aquatic organisms. ATRC tests a wide range of samples including discharges from mines and includes acute testing using both Rainbow Trout and Daphnia magna.

Getting Started

Lakehead University's Innovation, Partnership and Economic Development Office (IPED) is designed to make partnerships and accessing services at the University seamless. Our office will assist you in terms of identifying the right expertise or lab facilities within the University, facilitating introductions and identifying the best funding sources for the project.  We look forward to developing opportunities for collaboration and partnership. Please reach out to schedule a meeting today.