EMP METALS - PROJECT AURORA LITHIUM DEMONSTRATION PLANT CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

VANCOUVER, BC, Oct. 2, 2025 /CNW/ - EMP Metals Corp. (CSE: EMPS) (OTCQB: EMPPF) ("EMP Metals" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on construction of its lithium demonstration plant, known as Project Aurora, at the Company's Viewfield Project in Saskatchewan, Canada. 

Construction of the 8,400 square foot production facility building commenced in mid-September. EMP is currently underway with the balance of the on-site work (see Figure 1), focused now on finalizing the building and the interior finishing, and fully on track for completion in early November. The next phase installation of electrical work is set to begin in the New Year. Currently, production equipment skids are being built at Saltworks Technologies Inc.'s production facility in Richmond, BC and are expected to begin shipping to site in Q1 2026.

Paul Schubach, COO of EMP Metals, commented, "We are pleased with the progress on the building and site development for our demonstration plant at our core Viewfield site. Focus remains on delivering a high quality, cost-effective build with integrated environmental controls to ensure Project Aurora operation is set up for success. We are on schedule to hit our construction milestones in preparation to receive processing equipment in early 2026."

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.

For more information, please go to the Company's website at www.empmetals.com or contact: Karl Kottmeier, CEO, [email protected], Phone: [phone]; Paul Schubach, COO, [email protected], Phone: [phone]