REG - Empire Metals Ltd - Pitfield Process Flowsheet and Product Development

Empire MetalsAnnouncement

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RNS Number : 8485H  Empire Metals Limited  11 June 2026

Empire Metals Limited / LON: EEE, OTCQX: EPMLF / Sector: Natural Resources

 

11 June 2026

Empire Metals Limited

("Empire" or "the Company")

 

Pitfield Process Flowsheet and Product Development

 

Empire Metals Limited, the AIM-quoted and OTCQX-traded exploration and
development company, is pleased to announce the completion of an integrated
metallurgical processing flowsheet for the Pitfield Titanium Project in
Western Australia ("Pitfield" or the "Project"). The flowsheet is capable of
producing a premium 99%+ TiO₂ pigment, supported by bench-scale testwork now
successfully completed across the key processing stages. Pitfield's use of
conventional processing technology, combined with the orebody's mineralogical
advantage and the Project's location near readily available infrastructure,
underpins a highly competitive cost structure. The flowsheet also offers the
optionality to produce titanium metal feedstock and a high-grade alumina
co-product.

 

Highlights

 

 •    Integrated flowsheet defined to produce high-purity (99%+) TiO(2) pigment and
      titanium sponge metal feedstock, plus a high-grade alumina co-product, from
      one of the world's largest and highest-grade titanium deposits.

 •    Pitfield offers a cost advantage over the conventional ilmenite sulphate
      route, driven by mineralogical advantages of the Pitfield ore and flowsheet:
      rejection of a low-value gangue fraction at the front of the circuit, lower
      acid consumption and leach temperatures, recycling of acid through the alumina
      circuit, and a vastly smaller iron residue stream.

 •    Flowsheet built entirely on proven, conventional processing steps, materially
      de-risking scale-up and feasibility.

 •    Whole-of-ore flotation confirms selective recovery of titanium minerals with
      rejection of more than 90% of unwanted gangue, producing concentrate grades
      above 34% TiO(2).

 •    Titanium extraction of up to 98% achieved via an acid bake-water leach
      process, after atmospheric-pressure pre-leaching to remove the majority of the
      residual aluminium and iron from the titanium stream.

 •    High-grade alumina (98.7% Al(2)O(3)) produced from the pre-leach solution,
      offering the potential for a highly marketable co-product that simultaneously
      lifts TiO(2) recovery, lowers reagent costs and reduces waste.

 •    Positioned to provide a significant Western source of TiO(2) rutile pigment
      and titanium sponge metal feedstock, distinct from the energy-intensive
      ilmenite supply source that currently dominates global production.

 •    Continuous metallurgical piloting to commence Q3 2026 to validate design
      criteria ahead of feasibility studies and produce product samples for
      evaluation by potential customers and offtake partners.

 •    Empire has commissioned a research programme at Murdoch University's
      Extractive Metallurgy Hub to develop a process for producing titanium metal
      directly from Pitfield's TiO(2) product via molten salt electrolysis, offering
      a potential low-cost, lower-emission route to titanium metal and a pathway to
      further downstream value.

 

Shaun Bunn, Managing Director, said: "The development of a fully integrated
processing flowsheet  utilising conventional beneficiation, leaching and
refining processes to produce a high-grade (99.25% TiO₂) product represents
a defining moment in the development of the Pitfield Titanium Project. This
outcome not only demonstrates the potential to produce high-quality TiO₂
products, positioning Pitfield to serve premium pigment and titanium metal
markets, but also provides an option to produce high-grade alumina, a highly
marketable co-product.

"We are on track to complete the process design and scoping phase of the
Project following an extensive and productive period of research, testwork and
innovation.  Further engineering and pilot-scale testwork will continue to
evaluate scalability, allow process optimisation and further demonstrate the
Project's merits. Pitfield is emerging as a differentiated, large-scale
critical minerals project, well-positioned to meet the needs of titanium and
TiO₂ end-users at a time when new, low-cost supply solutions are
increasingly sought after."

 

Metallurgical Process Flowsheet Development

The metallurgical testwork programme has progressed rapidly over the past 12
months, leveraging significant literature and industry reviews and process
technology workshops held with industry specialists and the Empire team.
Testwork has been undertaken at several internationally recognised commercial
metallurgical laboratories examining a range of aspects important to the
flowsheet development, specifically ore characterisation, titanium and gangue
mineral separation, titanium leach extraction and TiO(2) product development.

The process flowsheet which has been developed by Empire is a novel
combination of various industry-standard unit processes which are highly
suited to Pitfield's ore types. The process flowsheet has been broken down
into two distinct circuits, represented in Figures 1 and 2 below:

Figure 1.  Ore Preparation and Mineral Separation

Figure 2.   Titanium Recovery and TiO(2)  Production

 

The process flowsheet has been batch-scale tested up to the point of calciner
discharge, for both the TiO(2) and alumina (Al(2)O(3)) products.

In the case of the TiO(2) product, batch testwork to date has resulted in a
high-purity (99.25% TiO(2)) product. Product development testwork is underway
to produce a high-quality rutile pigment post calcination, with promising
results seen to date. Subject to undergoing further milling, chemical coating
and surface treatment, this rutile pigment may be suitable for the high-value
end of the pigment market, such as architectural paints.

The Company is also continuing its research into the production of Ti sponge
metal and is currently testing the TiO(2) products being generated from the
Pitfield ore to determine their suitability as a feedstock for the Ti metal
industry.

In the process of developing and optimising the flowsheet it has become
apparent that there is an economic case for production of Al(2)O(3) as a
highly marketable co-product. It is inevitable that there will be some minor
recovery of aluminium gangue minerals along with the titanium during the
flotation stage. Rather than simply reject these in the titanium purification
stage the testwork conducted to date has shown that a high-purity, circa 99%
Al(2)O(3) product can be made.  The recovery of the alumina before the
titanium purification stage not only creates additional revenue, but it also
reduces the cost of neutralisation and the size and cost of the residue
storage. The option of producing some alumina requires further evaluation and
will be included in ongoing Scoping Studies.

The development of a novel metallurgical flowsheet for Pitfield, using
conventional technologies and resulting in a fully integrated plant,
processing ore into a high-value TiO(2) product suite, has been Empire's goal
since the early days of the discovery. This concept, and the project economics
associated with it, were highlighted with the release of the Company's maiden
Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE"), announced 14 October 2025. As a
prerequisite to releasing the MRE, the Company and its consultants prepared
open pit optimisation inputs based on Reasonable Prospects for Economic
Extraction ("RPEEE").

The RPEEE cost estimates previously prepared for the MRE open pit optimisation
inputs have since been refined through metallurgical testwork, process
modelling and engineering option studies carried out under the supervision of
Empire's technical team. On the basis of this work, the Company believes the
Pitfield flowsheet offers a cost advantage relative to the conventional
ilmenite sulphate route, driven by structural advantages of the Pitfield ore
and flowsheet: rejection of a low-value gangue fraction at the front of the
circuit, lower acid consumption and leach temperatures than the conventional
sulphate route, recycling of acid through the alumina circuit, and a vastly
smaller iron residue stream.

By way of an external benchmark, independent cost data published by TiPMC
Consulting in 2026 indicates production costs for conventional rutile pigment
routes in the range of approximately US$1,300 to US$3,300 per tonne, varying
by production method and region, with European and North American chloride and
sulphate routes at the higher end and leading Chinese sulphate producers at
the lower end.

The Company expects to release an updated MRE in July/August this year, based
on the large-scale drilling programme completed in April 2026 (announced 5 May
2026), which will incorporate updated open pit optimisation inputs.

 

Key components of the process flowsheet are discussed below:

 

Ore Preparation and Comminution

Ore characterisation research and testwork has resulted in a deeper
understanding of how Pitfield's giant titanium-rich ore deposit was formed,
allowing the advancement of metallurgical concepts aimed at physically
separating the titanium-rich minerals from the low-value gangue minerals.

Comminution testwork (physical sizing, assaying and scrubbing/grinding
studies) investigating the natural particle size and titanium mineral
distribution within the different size fractions in the weathered zone has
identified an opportunity to reject a coarse size fraction in the comminution
circuit. There are multiple benefits from rejecting low-value gangue material
at the start of the processing circuit including an upgrade of the titanium
content of the ore entering the flotation stage and the rejection of unwanted
iron-rich gangue minerals.  Ongoing testwork continues to focus on optimising
the configuration of the comminution circuit looking at an initial ore
scrubbing and screening stage, with the coarse fraction being further
beneficiated to recover valuable titanium minerals and reject the gangue
minerals.

The research being undertaken into the mineralogy of the Pitfield deposit has
been key to unlocking the potential for ore beneficiation ahead of the
flotation stage. Separate research programmes, run in collaboration with
leading geoscience institutions such as the Geology Department at Curtin
University and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research
Organisation ("CSIRO") (announced 27 March 2024), have greatly assisted in
understanding the natural particle size of the ore, distribution of minerals,
mineral grain size and form, titanium mineral distribution, and gangue mineral
variability.

Mineralogy using Tescan Integrated Mineral Analyzer ("TIMA") analysis,
Scanning Electron Microscopy ("SEM") and X-Ray Diffraction ("XRD")
technologies remain important for understanding the ore and its behaviour
through the metallurgical testing process. Experienced comminution consultants
Orway Mineral Consultants Pty Ltd. ("OMC") have been engaged to provide input
into the ongoing comminution testwork programme. The testwork programme
includes SMC, Bond Ball mill tests and Scrubber tests. Once complete, OMC will
assist with interpretation of the results, including benchmarking against
their extensive comminution project database for scale-up and energy
consumption.

 

Flotation - Mineral Separation and Concentration

Bench-scale testwork results have shown froth flotation to be an effective
technique for "whole-of-ore" separation of titanium minerals from the
low-value gangue minerals. Several differing flotation reagent schemes have
now been tested at a larger batch scale, assessing a range of different
operating conditions and circuit arrangements to understand the optimal
conditions for continuous piloting testwork.

Bench-scale testwork using a commercially available flotation collector has
shown selective recovery of titanium minerals into a froth flotation
concentrate, with high levels of rejection of unwanted gangue minerals, in
excess of 90% by mass, and cleaner concentrate grades greater than 34% TiO(2).
Further bench-scale testwork, testing an alternative flotation collector from
a different reagent supplier is also showing standout results. Both collectors
will be carried forward to the next phase of development where optimisation of
the flotation parameters will continue to be evaluated by adjustment of other
variables such as pH and temperature.

A number of bulk float tests have now been undertaken to produce flotation
concentrate samples in sufficient quantities to allow for downstream leach
extraction testwork, and to also confirm that metallurgical performance is
maintained at a larger operating scale. This work has provided important data
to assist with the design of industrial scale operations such as fine particle
flotation cells and flotation tailings filtration units.

Notably, the mineral assemblage and associated analytes within the Pitfield
weathered ore consists mainly of anatase (TiO(2)), kaolin (Al(2)O(3)), quartz
(SiO(2)) and hematite/goethite (Fe(2)O(3)/FeO(OH)) along with some minor
impurity minerals, including mica. The flotation process aims to recover the
anatase and reject the kaolin, quartz, hematite and minor gangue minerals.

Further testwork at bench-scale and larger scale is still required in order to
optimise flotation conditions for the best integrated flowsheet outcome on
Pitfield ore.

 

Hydrometallurgy - Titanium Extraction

Batch testwork has identified sulphation as the most suitable chemistry for
the concentrate leaching and titanium extraction stage. This involves mixing
the mineral concentrate with concentrated sulphuric acid to digest the
titanium minerals followed by a hot water wash to recover the titanium into
the liquor phase. This flowsheet has been confirmed to be a highly effective
route for extraction of the titanium found at Pitfield, with leach recoveries
of 98% achieved in testwork. Whilst this technique is similar to the existing
sulphate process used in the titanium industry for ilmenite concentrates, the
significant difference in Pitfield's concentrate mineral assemblage results in
lower overall acid consumption, lower leach temperature and a vastly smaller
iron residue stream.

Bench-scale testwork is in progress, investigating the sensitivity of the
titanium extraction to a range of input variables. The concept of a light acid
pre-leach ahead of the main titanium extraction step is being developed so
that a gangue element-rich liquor is extracted ahead of a titanium rich
liquor. This concept would deliver a consistent purity titanium-rich liquor to
downstream titanium hydrolysis and pigment production, regardless of any
variation in feed ore / concentrate.

 

TiO(2) Rutile Pigment Development

The process development testwork has investigated various options for the
TiO(2) product precipitation and pigment finishing steps. The most promising
has been titanium hydrolysis followed by calcination, similar to the existing
sulphate process used in the titanium industry for ilmenite concentrates.

A high-purity (99%+ TiO(2)) pigment product has been produced from the
Pitfield ore, using a conventional acid bake-water leach process as applied in
the sulphate pigment industry (announced 9 June 2025). Recent testwork has
focused on the conditions required to achieve rutile pigment precipitation
with the required levels of contaminants to meet specification for
architectural paints, particularly specific colour-forming deleterious
elements to limit their impact on the final product quality. For Pitfield, the
low amounts of deleterious elements in the orebody mean that the leach liquor
is naturally low in these components.

The Company has recently engaged with pigment industry specialists who provide
expertise on the manufacture of TiO(2) pigment and related products and can
assist with the development of the pigment finishing steps. Further programmes
have commenced to examine variables in the product finishing steps to target
rutile pigment products suitable for the high-value end user markets.

 

Titanium Sponge Metal Development Pathway

The Company is investigating the potential to make alternative titanium
products such as titanium tetrachloride ("TiCl(4)"), which is the precursor to
making Ti metal sponge via the Kroll process, or to develop an alternative Ti
metal production route.

Empire has recently commissioned a research programme at Murdoch University's
Extractive Metallurgy Hub in Western Australia, for provision of technical
support to develop an advanced process for producing titanium metal from
titanium dioxide via molten salt electrolysis powered by renewable energy.

The traditional, widely adopted method used to produce titanium metal is the
Kroll process. It is a multi-step batch process and is energy intensive. To
improve both the cost efficiency and environmental sustainability in titanium
metal production, researchers have explored molten salt electrolysis ("MSE"),
a process in which the titanium dioxide compounds are reduced to metal
directly by electricity within a high-temperature molten salt bath.

The traditional Kroll process used for titanium production has several
significant drawbacks:

Ø High Cost: Titanium alloy production is expensive due to the multi-step
nature of the Kroll process: melting, thermomechanical processing and the need
for high-purity raw materials.

Ø Environmental Impact: The Kroll process involves the use of chlorine gas
and produces copious amounts of hazardous waste, making it environmentally
unsustainable.

Ø Energy Consumption: The Kroll process based on melting and thermomechanical
processing is energy-intensive, contributing to a large carbon footprint.

MSE addresses these challenges and offers several key advantages:

Ø Higher Purity and Efficiency: MSE can produce titanium with higher purity
and lower energy consumption compared to the Kroll process. The direct
electrochemical reduction of TiO(2) potentially eliminates the intermediate
conversion to TiCl(4) and allows for more precise control over alloy
composition.

Ø Reduced Environmental Footprint: This method significantly reduces the
environmental impact of titanium production by minimising hazardous
by-products.

Ø Scalability and Cost-Effectiveness: MSE has the potential to be more
scalable and cost-effective overall, especially when adapted into a continuous
process.

The objectives for the research project which is scheduled for completion by
the end of 2026 are to:

·      demonstrate proof of concept for titanium metal production using
TiO(2) feedstock from Pitfield; and,

·      develop a strategy for scale-up to larger, continuous pilot
operations.

 

Alumina Co-Product

As mentioned above, the flotation process aims to recover anatase and reject
the kaolin, quartz, hematite and minor gangue minerals. However, some kaolin
does carry along with the anatase in the flotation concentrate. Maximising the
anatase flotation recovery may result in slightly higher kaolin recovery to
the concentrate.

Recent metallurgical work has identified that the kaolin recovered in the
flotation concentrates is reactive under the low temperature, atmospheric
sulphuric acid leaching parameters that have been evaluated for recovery of
the TiO(2) from the anatase-rich concentrates. The resulting aluminium
sulphate ("alum") can be separated from the titanium stream during a low
temperature pre-leach stage and potentially converted into a high-grade
alumina product.

There are both economic and environmental benefits in removing the alum rather
than sending it to the residue stream, for example minimising the quantity of
acid that is wasted and the quantity of lime that is consumed in neutralising
the residue stream. This also has a material impact on the size and cost of
the residue storage facility.

The production of high-grade alumina (98.7% Al(2)O(3) already achieved in
initial testwork on Pitfield ore) offers the potential to add a highly
marketable co-product which will support operating at higher TiO(2) recovery,
lower flotation reagent costs and significantly lower volumes of waste and
associated neutralisation costs. USGS market statistics report alumina imports
in 2024 averaged US$580/tonne FAS. The consumption was distributed 70:30
between aluminium production (SGA = 98.5% Al(2)O(3)) and higher-grade alumina
(>99% Al(2)O(3)) which was used for ceramics and refractory production.
High-level analysis of the US market shows SGA prices of circa US$400/tonne
and higher-grade ceramic alumina feedstock prices at >US$700/tonne.

 

Next Steps

Bench-scale metallurgical testwork on the key processing steps has now been
successfully completed leading to the development of an integrated process
flowsheet, commencing with ore delivery and mineral separation and ending in
high-quality TiO(2) products. Based on the positive results achieved to date,
the Company is rapidly advancing the engineering and pilot-scale testwork
which will evaluate scalability, allow process optimisation and confirm the
Project cost advantages.

The next key stages of project development will include:

-      detailed engineering studies, based on the current process
flowsheet - by end of Q4 2026;

-      an updated and expanded MRE, based on the recent drilling
programme - Q3 2026;

-      continued development of the TiO(2) product finishing steps
targeting coated rutile pigments and Ti sponge metal feedstock - by end of Q4
2026; and

-      continuous metallurgical piloting testwork of the process
flowsheet - commencing Q3 2026.

 

Competent Person Statement

The scientific and technical information in this report that relates to
process metallurgy is based on information reviewed by Ms Narelle Marriott, an
employee of Empire Metals Australia Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of
Empire. Ms Marriott is a member of the AusIMM and has sufficient experience
relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under
consideration and to the activity being undertaken to qualify as a Competent
Person as defined in the JORC Code 2012. Ms Marriott consents to the inclusion
in this announcement of the matters based on their information in the form and
context in which it appears.

 

**ENDS**

 

For further information please visit www.empiremetals.co.uk
(http://www.empiremetals.co.uk) or contact:

 

 Empire Metals Ltd                                                        Tel: 020 4583 1440

 Shaun Bunn / Greg Kuenzel / Arabella Burwell

 S. P. Angel Corporate Finance LLP (Nomad & Joint Broker)                Tel: 020 3470 0470

 Ewan Leggat / Adam Cowl

 Canaccord Genuity Limited (Joint Broker)                                Tel: 020 7523 8000

 James Asensio / Christian Calabrese / Rory Blundell / Charlie Hammond

 Zeus Capital Limited (Joint Broker)                                     Tel: 020 3829 5000

 Harry Ansell / Katy Mitchell

 Tavistock (Financial PR)                                                empiremetals@tavistock.co.uk (mailto:empiremetals@tavistock.co.uk)

 Emily Moss / Josephine Clerkin                                          Tel: 020 7920 3150

 Chapter One Advisors (Australian Financial PR)                          dtasker@chapteroneadvisors.com.au

 David Tasker                                                            Tel: +61 433 112 936

 

About Empire Metals Limited

Empire Metals Ltd (AIM: EEE and OTCQX: EPMLF) is an exploration and resource
development company focused on the commercialisation of the Pitfield Titanium
Project, located in Western Australia. The titanium discovery at Pitfield is
of unprecedented scale and hosts one of the largest and highest-grade titanium
resources reported globally, with a Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) totalling
2.2 billion tonnes grading 5.1% TiO₂ for 113 million tonnes of contained
TiO₂.

Titanium mineralisation at Pitfield occurs from surface and displays
exceptional grade continuity along strike and down dip. The MRE extends across
just 20% of the known mineralised footprint, providing substantial potential
for further resource expansion.

Conventional processing has already produced a high-purity product grading
99.25% TiO₂, suitable for titanium sponge metal or pigment feedstock. With
excellent logistics and established infrastructure, Pitfield is strategically
positioned to supply the growing global demand for titanium and other critical
minerals.

About Murdoch University

The state-of-the-art facility, based at Murdoch University's Rockingham
Campus, boasts six specialised labs equipped with sophisticated analytical
tools for process optimisation and advanced mineral characterisation. It also
holds a piloting area for advanced testing and scaling-up of technologies.

Professor Aleks Nikoloski, a Murdoch University Professor of Extractive
Metallurgy (Hydrometallurgy), leads the Extractive Metallurgy Hub team. He is
a leader in his field, having contributed to the development of modern
technology for the production of critical minerals from ores and recyclable
materials.

 

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