Joaquín Jesús Merino Márquez

   

President & Director
Emerita

BIO

Joaquín Merino is a senior professional geologist with over 25 years of experience in the mining industry. He has held senior leadership roles including Vice President, Exploration at Primero Mining Corp. and Apogee Minerals Ltd., and previously served as Exploration Manager for Placer Dome at the Porgera Mine, as well as Mine Geologist at Hecla Mining’s La Camorra mine. His career spans international experience across South America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region. Joaquín holds an MSc from Queen’s University and a BSc in Geology from the University of Seville, Spain. Currently based in Spain, he is President & Director of Emerita Resources Corp., a Canadian mineral resources exploration company, where he leads the IBW Project. Mr. Merino is also a member of the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario.

Session 6
22 October 2025 / 11:00 - 13:00 | Lagoas hall

Iberian Belt West exploration project, the most recent success exploration story in southern Europe.

The IBW project now exceeds 20 million mineral resources with significant grades of Zn, Pb, Cu, Au, and Ag. It is located in the western part of the “Andevalo” region, in the north of the province of Huelva, Spain. Exploration began in 2021 by Emerita Resources Corp, a Canadian listed exploration company, with an intensive drilling campaign, involving up to 16 rigs drilling simultaneously. To date, more than 120,000 meters of drilling have been completed resulting in three polymetallic deposits. Emerita Resources Corp compiled historical information, identifying the area where IBW is located as an underexplored area despite the excellent infrastructure and access in the region. Currently, the company is in the process of obtaining operating licenses and conducting feasibility studies. Mining exploration is an activity that requires a strong scientific foundation but also an understanding of the risk-opportunity relationship. Exploration is the first step in a chain of different activities and businesses that lead to the supply of raw materials. Therefore, it is the first activity that must be sustainable. Without exploration, deposits cannot be found; without deposits, there can be no mine; without a mine, critical minerals or any other type of minerals cannot be produced. Exploration is not a trivial activity either. It requires the right strategy, experienced teams, venture capital, knowledge of the exploration business, and time.