EMP METALS RECEIVES FIRST SALTWORKS EQUIPMENT DELIVERIES AT PROJECT AURORA DEMONSTRATION PLANT

EMP Metals Corp. has achieved a critical operational milestone with the arrival of the first seven truckloads of production equipment from technology partner Saltworks Technologies at its Project Aurora lithium demonstration facility in Saskatchewan. The delivery represents significant progress toward the company's targeted Q3 2026 plant startup for what will be an integrated, continuous-flow lithium refining demonstration system capable of processing 10 m3/day of raw brine from wellhead to lithium chemicals.

The Project Aurora demonstration facility represents a strategic joint initiative between EMP Metals and Saltworks Technologies designed to simplify lithium brine refining, reduce costs, and de-risk scale-up through a fully integrated system approach. As part of the collaboration's design mandate, Saltworks will advance full-scale plant design and cost estimates for a 3,000+ tonne per year modular, repeatable commercial refinery utilizing real-world data and process insights generated during the demonstration phase.

EMP Metals' Saskatchewan brine resource offers compelling advantages including clean chemistry free of hydrogen sulfide and oil-derived organics, shallow low-cost drilling conditions, established infrastructure, and a pro-critical minerals regulatory environment. These operational benefits position the company to target an initial commercial production scale of 1,500–3,000 tonnes per year, representing a significant opportunity in the growing lithium market.

The successful equipment delivery and positioning within the facility demonstrates tangible progress from construction toward operational readiness, with CEO Karl Kottmeier highlighting Saltworks' technical proficiency and dedication to project success. The company currently maintains over 205,000 net acres of Subsurface Dispositions and strategic wellbores in Southern Saskatchewan, providing substantial resource potential to support future commercial development beyond the demonstration phase.