EMP METALS RECEIVES FINAL MAJOR EQUIPMENT SHIPMENT AT PROJECT AURORA DEMONSTRATION PLANT

Executive Summary

• EMP Metals has received the final major process equipment shipment for its Project Aurora Demonstration Plant in Saskatchewan, completing 100% of planned equipment delivery on schedule.
• Installation and commissioning activities are actively underway, with the company targeting facility start-up in late Q3/Q4 2026.
• The demonstration plant will process 10 m³/day of raw brine to validate lithium refining processes and generate critical engineering and economic data to de-risk a future commercial-scale modular refinery.

Key Details

• Final major process equipment shipment from technology partner Saltworks Technologies Inc. has arrived at the Project Aurora Demonstration Plant within the Viewfield Project Area.
• 100% of planned process equipment is now on site and on schedule; installation activities (positioning, connection, integration) are proceeding as construction advances toward completion.
• Commissioning activities are progressing on equipment received last month, including mechanical checks, controls integration, and system preparation.
• Facility start-up is targeted for late Q3/Q4 2026.
• Project Aurora is an integrated, continuous-flow lithium refining demonstration system designed to process 10 m³/day of raw brine from wellhead to lithium chemicals.
• The facility's primary objectives are to validate process performance, optimize operating parameters, and generate engineering/economic data to support future commercial-scale development.
• Saltworks Technologies is concurrently advancing full-scale plant design and cost estimates for a modular commercial refinery capable of producing >3,000 tonnes/year of lithium products, leveraging data from the demonstration phase.
• The Saskatchewan brine resource offers distinct advantages: clean chemistry (free of H₂S and oil-derived organics), shallow low-cost drilling, established infrastructure, and a pro-critical minerals regulatory environment.
• EMP Metals targets an initial commercial production scale of 1,500–3,000 tonnes per year based on these resource characteristics.

Notable Quotes

• "We are pleased to have all major equipment now delivered to site and installation progressing as planned," said Karl Kottmeier, CEO of EMP Metals. "This achievement represents another important milestone for Project Aurora and reflects the strong execution by our team and our partners at Saltworks. With commissioning activities already underway on previously delivered equipment, we remain on schedule for facility start-up in late Q3/Q4 2026."