Board of Directors
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Joanne C. Freeze, P.Geo.
Joanne (Joey) C. Freeze has over 40 years of experience in the mining sector, with strengths spanning exploration and engineering through feasibility, finance strategy, and stakeholder relations, including engagement with shareholders, governments, and local communities. Since entering the mineral exploration industry in 1979, she has worked extensively in copper and gold exploration across Canada, Peru, and Mexico, serving for more than 25 years as an executive in the junior resource sector. Earlier in her career, she directed exploration programs and evaluated mineral projects for both junior and major international mining companies, including Utah Mines (now BHP), Placer Dome Inc., Arequipa Resources Ltd., Dia Met Minerals Corp., Mountain Province Mining Inc., Queenstake Resources Ltd., and the Hughes/Lang Group.
From 1994 to 1997, Ms. Freeze lived and worked in Peru, where she conducted project generation and property evaluations for Canadian and Peruvian companies. During this time, she co-founded Candente Resource Corp. in 1997 with Peruvian geologist Ing. Fredy Huanqui, co-discoverer of the Pierina gold mine. As President and CEO, she led the company from its early private stage through its public listing in 2000/2001 and was instrumental in advancing significant mineral assets. She also spearheaded the 2009 restructuring of Candente Resource Corp. into Candente Copper Corp. (was Alta Copper Corp., recently sold to Fortescue Metals Group) and Candente Gold Corp. (now Xali Gold Corp.). Under her leadership, the Candente group of companies has collectively raised over $140 million in equity financings and achieved listings on the TSXV, TSX, and the Lima Stock Exchange (BVL), while advancing multiple assets.
Ms. Freeze holds a B.A. in Geography from the University of Western Ontario (1978) and a B.Sc. in Geology from the University of British Columbia (1981). She is a Fellow of the Geological Association of Canada and is registered with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia.
A strong advocate for collaborative governance, Ms. Freeze brings a proactive and engaged approach to board service, emphasizing alignment between management and directors. She has served on the board of Durango Resources Inc. and on advisory boards for True North Gems and Canaco Resources as well as the Society of Economic Geologists.
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Matthew Melnyk, M.Sc.,CPG
Mr. Melnyk is a Professional Geologist (AIPG) with 20 years of experience throughout the Americas, Africa and Australia. With Aquiline Resources he was responsible for identifying the geochemical anomalies that led to the company's acquisition of the Navidad Silver Deposit in Argentina and ultimately the buyout of Aquiline by Pan American Silver in 2009. For Aurelian Resources, his work on drill target definition contributed to Aurelian's march toward the Fruta del Norte discovery in Ecuador and eventual acquisition by Kinross in 2008.
He served as Manager of Project Evaluations for Agnico Eagle's Southern Business Unit from 2015-2018 with a focus on identifying district scale opportunities in Latin America. His expertise is Structural Geology which he has utilized most recently in tackling structurally complex projects with Silver Bull Resources in Coahuila, Mexico and Titan Mining in New York State.
Mr. Melnyk holds a M.Sc. in Geology from the University of Southern Mississippi and a B.A in Geology from SUNY Buffalo. He studied Structural Geology towards a graduate degree at the University of Toronto on work that he has published in the Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences. -
Larry Kornze, P.Eng.
Mr. Kornze holds an exceptional 34 year career in international gold exploration. He retired from Barrick Gold Corporation as the General Manager of Exploration for Mexico and Central America, and International Evaluations. Prior to working internationally, Larry was the US Exploration Manager for Barrick Gold Exploration Inc. and was responsible for the Goldstrike Mine exploration with discoveries at Betze, Meikle, Deepstar, Screamer and Rodeo.
Prior to joining Barrick in 1985, Mr. Kornze held various positions with Newmont and Getty Mining Co. in North America. -
George Elliott, BA (HONS) LL.B
George Elliott has over 40 years of experience in legal affairs and corporate finance throughout a variety of industries. As an advisor to the AuRico Gold Board of Directors, Mr. Elliott was instrumental in the reorganization of Gammon Gold through the name change to AuRico. Prior to 2000, Mr. Elliott was Senior Counsel at the law firm Gowling Lafleur Henderson (now Gowlings). Since 2000, Mr. Elliott has held the roles of Chairman and CEO for Titanium Corporation Inc., Executive Vice President of MCAP Financial, which manages over $20 billion in mortgage investments for Canadian financial institutions and Chair of the Executive Committee of the PLM Group - Canada's fourth largest commercial printer, which was acquired by Transcontinental Printing for 250% of their market value. George retired in 2022 as a director of the Canadian Securities Exchange.
George is currently also a director of Urbana Corporation (TSX) and Radar Capital, a private corporation.
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Mario Chirinos
Mr. Mario Chirinos, a Partner at Dentons' Lima office, has over 16 years of experience in the Peruvian mining sector with a focus on corporate and mining law, mergers and acquisitions, financing, and capital markets. He advises foreign and local companies on various legal aspects, including mining rights, mining royalties, joint ventures, streams, securities listings, bond issuance and general financing of mining projects.
Mario serves as the General Manager of Chakana Copper Corp. since 2019 and as a director of Agroexportadora Virgen del Carmen since November 2023. He also currently serves as a director of EMC Green Group S.A. (a subsidiary of TREK Mining Corp.), which operates the Koricancha processing plant.
Mario holds his Master’s in Corporate Law from Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas. Mr. Chirinos has been recognized in Chambers & Partners, a prestigious organization that ranks lawyers and law firms worldwide, in the Latin America 2025 edition.
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Chafika Eddine, DBA (final stage), FCG, MA, LLB
Ms. Eddine is a governance and risk specialist with extensive international experience in the natural resources sector, including significant leadership experience in Peru and across Latin America. She currently serves as a Director of Solis Minerals, a role she has held since 2021. Between 2005 and 2025, she held C-suite and senior officer positions with Orla Mining, Hudbay Minerals, and Bear Creek Mining, advising boards and executive teams on enterprise risk management, ESG oversight, regulatory strategy, and stakeholder legitimacy in complex operating jurisdictions.
In addition to her corporate roles, Ms. Eddine has served in industry and governance boards, including the Chamber of Mines of Panama from 2022 to 2025 and the Peru-Canada Chamber of Commerce from 2012 to 2018. She brings particular insight into geopolitical and reputational risk management, as well as practical experience in transforming stakeholder engagement into risk intelligence, and creating multi-stakeholder partnerships with governments, communities and other partners towards sustainable development.