EMP Metals and Saltworks hosts delegation tour of Project Aurora plant in Saskatchewan

Canada NewsWire

VANCOUVER, BC , Oct. 1, 2026 /CNW/ -- EMP Metals Corp. (CSE: EMPS) (OTCQB: EMPPF) (FSE: 9ST) ("EMP Metals" or the "Company ") and the Company's Project Aurora partner, Saltworks Technologies Inc. ("Saltworks"), were pleased to welcome a delegation of industry leaders, institutional investors, the Honourable Chris Beaudry, Saskatchewan's Minister of Energy and Resources, the Honourable Daryl Harrison, MLA for Cannington, and representatives from both provincial and federal funding agencies for a tour of its fully integrated, continuous-flow lithium refining demonstration facility, located within the Company's Viewfield Project Area in Saskatchewan.

The visit provided stakeholders with a first‑hand look where production brine is delivered directly from the production well into the facility, through pre-treatment, direct lithium extraction (DLE), and concentration steps, with the spent brine returned through the disposal system and injected into the targeted disposal zone ( see Figure 1 ).

During the tour, attendees observed live process runs, performance data, and engaged directly with both EMP Metals' and Saltworks' technical teams. The Company highlighted how the Project Aurora demonstration plant is designed to validate commercial‑scale lithium recovery from subsurface brines within the Williston Basin — a resource opportunity that could position Saskatchewan and Canada as a key contributor to the global battery‑materials supply chain.

"The advancement of Project Aurora is another incredible example of Saskatchewan's growing strength in the critical minerals sector," Saskatchewan Energy and Resources Minister Chris Beaudry said. "With support from the Saskatchewan Critical Minerals Innovation Incentive, this project is bringing new technology and economic opportunities to our province. Project Aurora reinforces Saskatchewan's position as a world-class destination for investment in the development of critical minerals projects while contributing to the continued diversification of Saskatchewan's southeast and the mining and drilling industries as a whole."

"It was a pleasure to attend the opening of Project Aurora and to see firsthand the innovation that is taking place in Saskatchewan's emerging lithium sector," Cannington MLA Daryl Harrison said. "This facility highlights the potential of our resources and opportunities ahead for Saskatchewan's critical minerals industry."

Megan Low, VP of Lithium Process Solutions at Saltworks, stated, "Project Aurora demonstrates a different approach to lithium development: integrated, data-driven, and built for commercial scale. By continuously processing live Saskatchewan brine through our Generation-II DLE system in partnership with EMP, we're generating the operating data needed to train digital twins that will enhance full-scale design and cost, reduce technical risk, optimize performance, and accelerate the path to commercial production. We were pleased to showcase the progress being made alongside EMP Metals and the strength of Saskatchewan's emerging lithium industry."

Karl Kottmeier, CEO of EMP Metals, "We were honoured to host leaders from government, industry, and the investment community. Their support has enabled us to achieve this major step toward establishing domestic production of battery materials and underscores the growing importance of lithium as a strategic resource and the role Saskatchewan can play in meeting future demand."

Mr. Kottmeier continued, "Canada's energy future depends on innovation, and EMP Metals and Saltworks are demonstrating what that looks like on the ground. We are committed not only to advancing lithium extraction efficiently and sustainably, but also to ensuring this project will support local employment, strengthen the regional economy, and create lasting benefits for the communities that have supported resource development for generations."

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.

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/October2026/01/c4741.html

Canada Newswire

October 1, 2026 - 4:45 AM PDT

News by QuoteMedia

www.quotemedia.com