Arnfinn Prugger (Ph. D., P. Geo.) was born in Kirkenes Norway in 1957, emigrating to Canada with his parents in 1960 (where his father worked in the fledgling Saskatchewan potash industry), spending his formative years in Saskatoon. Arnfinn’s first job in mining was in 1976 at the Vanscoy Potash Mine. He graduated with a B. Sc. in geological engineering (Geophysics) from Queen’s University in 1982, then pursued graduate studies at the University of Saskatchewan, completing his M. Sc. in 1985 and his Ph. D. in 1994. Arnfinn worked at PotashCorp (now Nutrien) from 1990 through 2018, ending his career as Vice President, Technical Services.
Arnfinn was a member of the board of the Saskatchewan Potash Producers Association from 2012 through 2018, and he was a board Member of Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile S. A. (SQM), a lithium and fertilizer producer, from 2015 through 2019 (serving as chair of the SQM Safety, Health & Environment Committee for this entire time).
Arnfinn is still active in the applied research community. His research interests include development of real-time microseismic and rock mechanics monitoring systems in potash mines, development of improved in-mine instrumentation / monitoring systems, the application of geophysical techniques to many different potash mining problems, and mine safety research (everything from reducing groundfall hazards to the mitigation of inflow risk). Arnfinn was a Canadian Institute of Mining (CIM) Distinguished Lecturer for the 2018 / 2019 academic year.
Arnfinn replaces Dwight Percy who served as board chair from 2015 to 2019 and is stepping down from service to the IMII at year’s end. During Dwight’s time as chair, the IMII updated its governance structure and practices and refreshed its strategic plan to focus its education and training efforts on diversity & inclusion in the minerals industry workforce and expanded its research and development activities to include demonstration projects with suppliers to Saskatchewan’s minerals industry.
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For more information:
Al Shpyth, Executive Director, IMII
Phone: (306) 668-2057
About IMII:
International Minerals Innovation Institute is a unique innovation supporting network of mining companies, government departments and agencies, and post-secondary and research institutions, jointly funded by industry and government. It exists to deliver innovations that matter to mining in Saskatchewan.
