EMP METALS COMMENCES RE-ENTRY OPERATIONS ON BRACKISH WATER WELL

VANCOUVER, BC, Feb. 5, 2026 /CNW/ - EMP Metals Corp. (CSE: EMPS) (OTCQB: EMPPF) (FSE: 9ST) ("EMP Metals" or the "Company") is pleased to report that the service rig to be used for the re-entry of the existing brackish water well 5-23-7-9W2 (the "Well") has arrived on location (see Figure 1) and commenced re-entry operations (see press releases dated January 27 and January 30, 2026).

The work program includes isolating an upper section of the existing wellbore, perforating the targeting brackish water interval, and swabbing the well at maximum swabbing rates to obtain water samples and establish a sustained fluid level. 

Re-entry operations and testing are expected to take approximately 10 days to complete.

Once the service rig re-entry operations are completed, the Company will begin planning the integration of the brackish water source into the Project Aurora Demonstration Plant.

The existing Well is in close proximity to the Project Aurora Demonstration Plant site and testing is an important and cost-effective step in identifying additional, low salinity, brackish water sources for continued advancement towards commercial production scale up. 

The Project Aurora Demonstration 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 and Saltworks Technologies Inc. ("Saltworks"), is aimed at driving down costs, simplification, and leveraging the best available and most economic and innovative technology.  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.

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