EMP METALS ADVANCES CONSTRUCTION OF PROJECT AURORA DEMONSTRATION PLANT BY COMPLETING INTERIOR FINISHING

EMP METALS ADVANCES CONSTRUCTION OF PROJECT AURORA DEMONSTRATION PLANT BY COMPLETING INTERIOR FINISHING

VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 26, 2026 /CNW/ - EMP Metals Corp. (CSE: EMPS) (OTCQB: EMPPF) (FSE: 9ST) ("EMP Metals" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the successful completion of the building interior that will house its upcoming lithium refining demonstration plant. The building structure is now complete, insulated, and metal-cladded on the exterior and interior (see Figure 1). Lighting and facility cable runs are currently being installed as per General Arrangement Drawings (GAD's) in preparation for the arrival of process equipment and build-out of other functional areas of the facility.

Process equipment build continues to progress at Saltworks Technologies Inc. ("Saltworks") in Richmond, BC, with pre-commissioning beginning on completed skids. The build of the Gen-II Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) system for Project Aurora, as previously described by Saltworks, is also progressing on schedule.

Paul Schubach, COO of EMP Metals, commented: "Progress continues to remain on schedule at the Aurora Demonstration Plant site in Saskatchewan, as well as with the surface refining equipment build and commissioning activities at Saltworks. We remain on pace to start up one of the first direct well-head-connected lithium extraction facilities in Saskatchewan in Q2."

The Company will provide further updates as progress continues and major milestones are achieved.

The Project Aurora demo plant will establish, test, and optimize a wellhead connected, continuous flow, modular Hub and Spoke lithium extraction and refining model. The on-site program aims to unlock performance improvements and cost savings while de-risking future investments. Project Aurora, a joint initiative between EMP Metals Corp. and Saltworks, is aimed at driving down costs, simplification, and leveraging the best available and most economic technology while optimizing a complete lithium system, from well to battery chemical. As part of the collaborative's launch, Saltworks will advance full-scale plant design and cost estimates for a 3,000+ tonne per year modular, repeatable commercial refinery for EMP Metals utilizing data and insights from the demo plant project.

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 over 205,000 net acres (83,000 hectares) of Subsurface Dispositions and strategic wellbores in Southern Saskatchewan.

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.