EMP Metals completes commissioning of Project Aurora demonstration plant

Canada NewsWire

VANCOUVER, BC , Sept. 22, 2026 /CNW/ -- EMP Metals Corp. (CSE: EMPS) (OTCQB: EMPPF) (FSE: 9ST) ("EMP Metals" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that commissioning of its Project Aurora Demonstration Plant, located within the Company's Viewfield Project Area in Saskatchewan, is complete and the facility has transitioned to full-time operations.

Project Aurora is now operating as a fully integrated, continuous-flow lithium refining demonstration facility. Production brine is delivered directly from the production well through the process facility, with spent brine returned through the disposal system to the targeted disposal interval.

With commissioning complete, EMP Metals and Saltworks Technologies are focused on optimizing the integrated process systems, establishing stable operating conditions and generating operational data to support the next stage of Project Aurora and the Company's broader commercial development plans.

"Completing commissioning at Project Aurora marks the transition from construction to an operating demonstration plant," said Karl Kottmeier, CEO of EMP Metals. "We are now operating the integrated facility full-time and are focused on tuning individual systems and optimizing the overall process. The operating data generated during this phase will be critical as we advance our understanding of the process and apply that information to the design and development of future commercial facilities."

Project Aurora is EMP's integrated, continuous-flow lithium refining demonstration system, designed to process 10 m³/day of raw brine from wellhead to lithium chemicals. The facility is intended to validate process performance, optimize operating parameters, and generate engineering and economic data to support future commercial-scale development.

Project Aurora is a joint initiative between EMP Metals and Saltworks Technologies Inc. to simplify lithium brine refining, reduce costs and de-risk scale-up through a fully integrated system. As part of the collaboration, Saltworks is advancing full-scale plant design and cost estimates for a modular commercial refinery capable of producing more than 3,000 tonnes per year of lithium products, using operational data generated during the demonstration phase.

EMP's Saskatchewan lithium resource benefits from favourable brine chemistry free of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) and oil-derived organics, shallow, low-cost drilling, established infrastructure and a supportive critical-minerals regulatory environment. These advantages support the Company's plans to pursue initial commercial modules targeting 1,500 to 3,000 tonnes of lithium products annually, with expansion thereafter.

About EMP Metals

EMP is a Canadian-based lithium exploration and development company focused on large-scale resources using direct lithium extraction (DLE). EMP currently holds more than 205,000 net acres (83,000 hectares) of Subsurface Dispositions and strategic wellbores in southern Saskatchewan.

QP The technical content on this website has been reviewed and approved by Greg Bronson, P. Geo., a qualified person for the purpose of National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Bronson is not independent as he is a director of the Company.

Forward-Looking Statements Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. EMP Metals cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond EMP Metals' control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to EMP Metals' limited operating history, ability to obtain sufficient financing to carry out its exploration and development objectives on its mineral properties, obtaining the necessary permits to carry out its activities and the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, EMP Metals undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.

The Canadian Securities Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the information contained herein and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

SOURCE EMP Metals Corp.

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Canada Newswire

September 22, 2026 - 4:45 AM PDT

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