Craig Funk, M.Sc., P.Eng., P.Geo.
Director, GeoServices & Land, Nutrien Ltd
Craig Funk is the Director of GeoServices & Land at Nutrien Ltd. where he supports the potash mining operations unit. He studied at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada where he earned a B. Sc. in Engineering Geophysics and an M. Sc. in Geophysics. He is currently both a professional engineer and geoscientist. Craig has worked in hard- and soft-rock mining, geotechnical consulting, and upstream oil and gas in a variety of locations, including South Africa, United States, and Canada. Craig started at Nutrien in 2008 as Chief Geophysicist and has progressed into the current role where he oversees potash exploration, mineral and surface lands portfolio, corporate disclosure and reporting, and geoscience applications and special projects.
Craig is currently a board member with the International Mineral Innovation Institute based in Saskatoon, Canada. Craig is a long-time member of the SEG (Society of Exploration Geophysicists), the Canadian Society of Exploration Geophysicists (CSEG), and other societies and associations. In 2023, he was given the Technical Achievement Award by the CSEG for his career achievements.
Potash Exploration: Typical Approaches and Unique Challenges
Potash is hosted in evaporite formations, so the typical exploration strategy is like that of exploration for hydrocarbons, with surface-based reflection seismic being nearly ubiquitous to all programs. While delineation of the extent of the resource and (eventually) reserve is critical to exploration, it is important to keep in mind that both potash and salt are highly soluble. Once mining commences, abandoned drill-holes can become conduits for fresher water to enter the mine. As such, exploration drilling strategies for potash are unique and strategic to maximize quantitative analysis. Seismic imaging is typically used to extend geological interpretations between drillholes. Finally, the hydrogeology of any water-bearing strata should be fully characterized and geohazards identified so that viability of long-term potash mining can be assessed from a risk mitigation perspective.
