EMP Metals Corp. (CSE: EMPS) announced on September 22, 2026 that commissioning of its Project Aurora Demonstration Plant, located within the Viewfield Project Area in Saskatchewan, is complete and the facility has transitioned to full-time operations. The plant is now running as a fully integrated, continuous-flow lithium refining demonstration facility, processing raw brine from wellhead to lithium chemicals. The milestone marks a significant shift from construction to active operations for the Canadian direct lithium extraction company, and investors may be watching closely as operational data generation begins to inform future commercial planning.

Key Points

  • EMP Metals Corp. (CSE: EMPS, OTCQB: EMPPF, FSE: 9ST) is a Canadian lithium exploration and development company focused on direct lithium extraction in Saskatchewan.
  • Project Aurora's commissioning is complete, and the demonstration plant has transitioned to continuous full-time operations.
  • The facility is designed to process 10 m³/day of raw brine; Saltworks Technologies is advancing full-scale plant design targeting more than 3,000 tonnes per year of lithium products.
  • Investors may watch for operational data outcomes that will inform commercial-scale facility design and development plans.

Project Aurora Enters Full-Time Operations at Viewfield

EMP Metals confirmed that its Project Aurora facility is now operating as a fully integrated, continuous-flow lithium refining demonstration system. 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. The company states that commissioning is complete and the focus has shifted to optimising integrated process systems, establishing stable operating conditions, and generating the operational data required to support the next stage of Project Aurora and broader commercial development plans.

Joint Initiative With Saltworks Technologies Targets Commercial Modular Refinery

Project Aurora is a joint initiative between EMP Metals and Saltworks Technologies Inc., designed to simplify lithium brine refining, reduce costs, and de-risk scale-up through a fully integrated system. The facility is designed to process 10 m³/day of raw brine from wellhead to lithium chemicals. As part of the collaboration, the release states that 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.

Saskatchewan Brine Advantages Support EMP's Commercial Targets

EMP Metals highlights that its Saskatchewan lithium resource benefits from favourable brine chemistry free of hydrogen sulfide and oil-derived organics, shallow and low-cost drilling, established infrastructure, and a supportive critical-minerals regulatory environment. The company's disclosure indicates plans to pursue initial commercial modules targeting 1,500 to 3,000 tonnes of lithium products annually, with expansion thereafter. EMP currently holds more than 205,000 net acres of Subsurface Dispositions and strategic wellbores in southern Saskatchewan, according to the announcement.