EMP Metals advances on $3.2 million Ngen funding news
EMP Metals Corp. [EMPS-CSE, EMPPF-OTCQB] said it has been approved for up to $3.2 million in funding from Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (Ngen) for its Aurora project in Saskatchewan.
Ngen is the industry-led organization behind Canada’s Global Innovation Cluster for Advanced Manufacturing.
EMP shares advanced on the news, rising 7.27% or $0.04 to 59 cents. The shares trade in a 52-week range of $1.03 and 20.5 cents.
EMP in partnership with Saltworks Technologies Inc. on the Project Aurora, will demonstrate an integrated continuous-flow lithium refining system from raw brine to battery-grade chemicals. The project is designed to simply lithium production, reduce costs and derisk scale-up via system-level integration.
As part of the plan, Saltworks will design, build and operate a modular hub and spoke demonstration plant integrated with EMP Metals’ horizontal lithium well and brine handling infrastructure at the Viewfield asset in Saskatchewan. The wellhead-connected production spokes will convert raw brine into a refined, low-volume, lithium-rich solution, which will then be transported to a central conversion facility at Saltworks headquarters for final processing into battery-grade chemicals.
Construction of an 8,400-square foot demonstration plant commenced in September 2025. “Currently production equipment skids are being built at Saltworks’ production facility in Richmond, B.C. and were expected to begin shipping to site in the first quarter of 2026,’’ the company has said.
As part of the collaboration launch, Saltworks will advance full-scale plant design and cost estimates for a 3,000-plus-tonne-per-year modular, repeatable refinery for EMP Metals, utilizing data and insights from the demo plant project.
“Project Aurora exemplifies the innovative, system-level integration that Canada’s advanced manufacturing sector needs to build resilient domestic supply chains for critical minerals,’’ said Jayson Myers, CEO of Ngen. “By supporting this collaboration between EMP Metals and Saltworks, Ngen is helping to derisk and accelerate development of next-generation lithium-refining technologies that will strengthen Canada’s position in the global energy materials market while driving economic growth in Saskatchewan and beyond,’’ he said.
EMP is a lithium exploration and development company with a focus on large-scale resources using direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology. EMP owns 100% of Hub City Lithium, a private entity which controls the leased land covering the Mansur and Viewfield projects targeting the Duperow formation. It holds that interest following a share exchanged deal with ROK Resources Inc. [ROK-TSXV, ROKRF-OTCQB], which exchanged its 25% stake in Hub City for 17 million shares of EMP.
“Canada is expanding its lithium production to secure domestic and global supply chains by leveraging lithium brine technologies and refining projects like Project Aurora,’’ said EMP Metals CEO Karl Kottmeier. “Ngen’s financial support is integral to Canada’s competitiveness and our project – one of the first direct well-head connected continuous-flow demonstration plants in the country.
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