Emp Metals Announces Successful Dle Pilot Project and Production of Battery Grade Lithium Carbonate; Provides Update ON PEA
Tel: 604-689-7422 208A - 980 West 1st Street, North Vancouver, BC V7P 3 N4
EMP METALS ANNOUNCES SUCCESSFUL DLE PILOT PROJECT AND
PRODUCTION OF BATTERY GRADE LITHIUM CARBONATE; PROVIDES
UPDATE ON PEA
Vancouver, British Columbia, December 5, 2023 – EMP Metals Corp. (CSE: EMPS) (OTCQB:
EMPPF) (“EMP Metals” or the “Company ”) is pleased to report significant advancements and
milestones of its lithium project: (i) successful results from a direct lithium extraction (“DLE”) pilot
project, (ii) successful production of pure battery grade lithium carbonate, (iii) expected timing
of direct lithium extraction field pilot, (iv) increased acreage in core operating area, and (v)
update on the delivery of the Preliminary Economic Assessment (“PEA”).
Direct Lithium Extraction: Pilot Test Results
Hub City Lithium Corp. (“HCL”), a subsidiary company to EMP, has successfully completed a large-
scale pilot using the ILiAD DLE Platform developed by Energy Source Minerals (“ESM”), a privately
held process technology company focusing on Direct Lithium Extraction in North America. The
pilot, which processed 87,000 litres of brine from the Viewfield project area, successfully
recovered 8,300 litres of concentrated eluent with an average lithium concentration of 1,430
mg/L (representing a 7.5x concentration from the feed brine provided). An average lithium
recovery of >90% and an impurity rejection rate of 99.62% were also verified by ESM. HCL plans
to ship the highly concentr ated eluent to a 3 rd party for refinement into battery grade Lithium
Carbonate.
Production of Battery Grade Lithium Carbonate
HCL has confirmed successful production of 99.95% pure battery grade lithium carbonate
(Li2CO3), the Company’s first brine -to-battery-grade lithium carbonate production.
Saltworks Technologies Inc. (“Saltworks”), a global leader in designing and delivering industrial
wastewater treatment and lithium refinement solutions, saw brine sourced from wells in H CL’s
Viewfield project area refined into battery grade lithium carbonate. The Viewfield lithium -
containing brine represents the highest concentrations of lithium discovered in Canada to date
with minimal pretreatment requirements.
After DLE, the eluent was refined into battery -grade chemicals at Saltworks’ headquarters in
British Columbia. This work was executed with Saltworks’ proprietary concentrating, refining, and
converting technology and expert technical team, employing novel technolog y that lowers the
cost and greenhouse gas impact of lithium chemical production.
Tel: 604-689-7422 208A - 980 West 1st Street, North Vancouver, BC V7P 3 N4
This project tested and de -risked the end -to-end flow sheet, resulting in multiple samples of
battery-grade lithium carbonate, which have been analyzed and validated by an independent 3rd
party laboratory. The captured data enables the acceleration of a full -scale plant design and
dispatch. Details below.
Chemical Analysis Summary
Battery Grade Spec - Li2CO3 Produced Li2CO3
Li2CO3 wt% 99.5% 99.95%
H2O wt% <0.5% <0.05%
Na wt% <0.05% 0.0146%
Ca wt% <0.04% 0.0027%
Fe wppm <5 <5
Al wppm <10 <5
Cu wppm <5 <5
Ni wppm <6 <2.5
Cl wt% <0.01% <0.002%
SO4 wt% <0.1% 0.0129%
Note: Independent laboratory testing was conducted by Kemetco Research Inc. (Richmond, British
Columbia)
Abbreviations: Li2CO3, Lithium Carbonate; H2O, Water; Na, Sodium; Ca, Calcium; Cl, Chlorine; SO4,
Sulphate; Fe, Iron; Al, Aluminum; Cu, Copper; Ni, Nickel; Wt%, Weight Percentage; Wppm, Weight Parts
per Million; Mg/l, Milligrams per Litre
Rob Gamley, CEO of EMP Metals, commented “The results of our DLE to battery grade lithium
project exceeded expectations. Our partnership with Saltworks has proven to be a powerful
collaboration, setting the stage for future advancements in the Canadian lithium industry. This
achievement fuels our confidence in a dynamic future for all involved and the Canadian mineral
sector.”
Megan Low, Saltworks Technologies VP of Process Solutions Lithium & Industrial Water,
commented, “The Saltworks team is proud to continue to support EMP Metals and ROK
Resources to develop an important Canadian brine-to-battery chemicals project. We’ve been
impressed by EMP Metals’ methodical but rapid approach to take the right steps to de-risk their
project and merge commercial innovations into their flowsheet that improve economics and
scalability.”
Viewfield Field Pilot
Tel: 604-689-7422 208A - 980 West 1st Street, North Vancouver, BC V7P 3 N4
HCL is currently undergoing a Treatability Study (“Study”) with Koch Technology Solutions (“KTS”)
to test 1,000 litres of feed brine from the Viewfield project area. The Study is in preparation for
a DLE field pilot (one of the first in Saskatchewan) on the H CL well that previously tested 258
mg/L of lithium. The pilot, scheduled to begin in Q1 2024, will treat Viewfield brine and convert
it into a highly concentrated lithium chloride eluent. It is expected to run for 3 to 4 months and
will operate 24/7, processing approximately 6,500 - 9,000 litres of feed brine per day.
Viewfield Acreage Purchase
At the November 2023 Crown Public Offering H CL increased its land holdings in its Viewfield
project area by 4,065 net acres (7% increase) to 59,000 net acres (23,900 hectares), for total
consideration of $1.17 million.
HCL now holds greater than 196,000 net acres (79,300 net hectares) of Subsurface Dispositions
and numerous strategic wellbores in Southern Saskatchewan.
Preliminary Economic Assessment Update
The PEA, which focuses on a Phase 1 development at Viewfield, is nearing completion with
anticipated final approvals and release in January 2024. The release delay can be attributed to
capital and operating cost adjustments within the PEA, a result of the ongoing Viewfield brine
testing and processing with multiple DLE vendors.
Lithium Brine Properties Joint Venture
The lithium brine properties consist of more than 196,000 net acres (79,300 net hectares) of
Subsurface Crown Mineral Dispositions in the Williston basin of Southern Saskatchewan.
EMP holds 75% of the joint venture with ROK Resources Inc. (ROK.V) holding the balance.
Qualified Person
The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Greg Bronson,
P. Geo., a qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101.
About Saltworks
Saltworks Technologies is a global leader in designing and delivering industrial wastewater
treatment and lithium refinement solutions. Saltworks’ best-in-class systems are built around our
core principles: scalable modularity and smart digitization. From its headquarters in Richmond,
Tel: 604-689-7422 208A - 980 West 1st Street, North Vancouver, BC V7P 3 N4
BC, Canada, Saltworks designs, builds and operates full -scale plants, and offers comprehensive
onsite and offsite testing and pilot services.
For more information, please contact us via [email protected] , or visit our website:
www.saltworkstech.com for more information.
About EMP Metals
EMP Metals is a Canadian-based lithium exploration and development company focused on large
scale resources using direct lithium extraction (“DLE”). EMP Metals, in partnership with ROK
Resources Inc., currently holds 19 6,000 net (7 9,300 hectares) acres of Subsurface Dispositions
and strategic wellbores in Southern Saskatchewan. For more information, please go to the
Company’s website at www.empmetals.com
For more information, please contact:
Rob Gamley, President & CEO
Phone: 1-604-689-7422
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 includ e, 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 environment al and governmental
regulations. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially
from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or impli ed 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.
Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange (“CSE”) nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that
term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of
this news release.