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Empire Metals Limited, the AIM-quoted and OTCQB-traded exploration and development company, is pleased to report significant progress in metallurgical testwork at its Pitfield Project in Western Australia ('Pitfield' or the 'Project'). These results confirm that the weathered ore at Pitfield can be processed using conventional separation and refining techniques, delivering industry-leading recoveries and a high-purity titanium dioxide (TiO₂) product.
Highlights
- Exceptional flotation performance: Recoveries of 77% (rougher stage) and 90% (cleaning stage) from fine, weathered ore samples.
- Outstanding leach results: Direct acid bake and hot-water leach achieved 98% titanium dissolution, leaving inert quartz residues.
- High recoveries: Overall titanium recovery from flotation feed to final product is circa 67% and expected to improve with further optimisation of the mineral separation stages.
- High-purity final product: TiO₂ grading 99.25% with negligible impurities, suitable for titanium sponge metal or pigment production.
- Cost and environmental advantages: Low Fe₂O₃ (~5%) reduces acid consumption, minimises waste, and supports higher recoveries over typical ilmenite feedstock processing.
- Simplified, expedited development pathway: Amenability to standard mineral separation eliminates the need for a costly bespoke demonstration plant, enabling a lower-cost continuous pilot programme using accredited commercial laboratories.
Shaun Bunn, Managing Director, said:
"These results mark a step change in Pitfield's development. We now have clear evidence that the ore is ideally suited to conventional mineral separation and refining, producing a high-purity titanium product with strong recoveries. This sets Pitfield apart from ilmenite-based projects, which typically face lower recoveries, higher costs, and significant environmental challenges.
"Pitfield already stands out for its exceptional scale, continuity of high-grade near-surface mineralisation, and Tier 1 location with access to infrastructure. With this breakthrough in process development, we can now demonstrate a highly efficient and environmentally responsible route to producing multiple high-value titanium products."
Metallurgical Testwork Summary
Empire has committed substantial financial resources to developing a metallurgical flowsheet that can economically extract titanium and produce a high value titanium product: such as TiO2 pigments, and/or feedstock for the TiO2 pigment or titanium sponge metals industries.
The approach to flowsheet development has included:
- Extensive mineralogical investigations on exploration samples, testwork feed samples and testwork products
- Wide ranging literature reviews, including industry and cross-industry research
- Idea generation and testing of concepts and conditions in the laboratory
- A fast-tracked separate work programme to prove that an impurity free high grade product can be made from samples taken at Pitfield.
Initial mineralogical and metallurgical testwork was undertaken on the fresh, titanite-rich bedrock mineralisation at Pitfield and returned encouraging results. Following the identification of the extensive in-situ weathered cap, which independently represents a generational-scale mining opportunity, subsequent testwork programmes have been directed toward this material. The weathered cap contains mainly anatase and rutile, and is distinguished by its soft, friable texture, elevated titanium grades, and near-surface exposure which offer significant advantages from both a mining and processing perspective.
Empire has employed two full time process engineers to work on the process flowsheet development, both of whom have extensive experience in mineral separation and elemental extraction (hydrometallurgy). In addition, Empire has contracted with two titanium expert consultants, each of which has over 40 years' experience in the industry. The process development programme is also supported by further specialist input from the technical team at Strategic Metallurgy, scientists from Federal Government agencies and process engineers from local Engineering & Process Design Consultants.
Testwork results achieved to date are encouraging and support the conceptual process flowsheet that was announced 4 September 2024 "Positive Results Achieved from Initial Processing Testwork on Pitfield Titanium Ore" (refer Figure 1).
Figure 1. Conceptual Process Flowsheet.
Recent testwork has been focused on the fine, saprolite ores from the Thomas prospect. Testwork results to date suggest that Empire can expect to achieve an overall recovery of circa 65-75%, and produce a high-purity, +99% TiO2 product. This is based on early stage testwork with limited optimisation, and the success to date is a good indicator that the Pitfield ores are non-refractory and free of deleterious contaminants that affect product quality (such as U, Th, Cr, P and V).
Whilst it is difficult to provide comparable projects to Pitfield, given its scale, grade and unique ore characteristics, the processing route being evaluated for Pitfield has similar stages to that found in the well-established heavy mineral sands industry. For instance, the ilmenite within the mineral sands is first separated (by gravity and magnetics) and the ilmenite concentrates are then beneficiated by a combination of reduction roast and leach to produce synthetic rutile. This in turn becomes feedstock to the TiO2 pigment or Ti sponge metal producers, both of which use strong oxidants (Cl gas or sulphuric acid) and high temperatures to transform the feedstock into pigments or TiCl4.
The whole process of recovering titanium from ilmenite; concentrating, beneficiation and then transforming it into a high-purity product is inefficient (generally low recoveries), expensive (high energy consumption and expensive consumables) and environmentally unfriendly (substantial Fe residues to dispose of from the breakdown of the ilmenite). The unique ore characteristics of Pitfield provide an opportunity to design a new processing route that is more efficient, lower cost and has greater optionality over the products it can produce than that currently experienced by the ilmenite processors, who account for 95% of the titanium supply chain.
Metallurgical Samples
Samples being used for the testwork programme have been collected from drilling programmes conducted across the deposit. These include drill core samples from diamond drilling, and bulk samples from air core drilling programmes. Samples have been collected from both exploration targets - Cosgrove ('COS') and Thomas ('TOM'). Separate Saprolite ('SAP') and Weathered Sandstone ('WS') zones have been identified. Some of the testwork samples are a blend of the two zones and some have been kept separate to understand the performance of the weathering profile.
Mineralogy
A number of mineralogy techniques are being used to develop the understanding of the Pitfield mineralogy and morphology. SEM based TIMA analysis has been undertaken at Automated Mineralogy Incubator (AMI) on exploration samples, testwork feed samples and testwork products.
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Figure 2. Mineralogist at AMI discussing Pitfield TIMA analysis results with Empire Metallurgist
Key information collected from TIMA analysis on testwork feed samples and exploration samples includes the titanium and gangue minerals present, the grain sizes, and the mineral association.
Testwork product samples have also been analysed using TIMA to understand the deportment of the different titanium minerals and effectiveness of each of the processing steps. More than 100 samples have been analysed using TIMA, including geology samples, testwork feed samples and testwork products.
XRD analysis has also been used on a range of samples. This has been used to help with mineral identification that SEM cannot determine - such as the crystal structure of titanium oxide minerals, identifying them as either anatase or rutile.
Microprobe analysis, at CSIRO in Melbourne, has been used on a small number of samples: to measure impurities in titanium minerals in particular.
Testwork - Flowsheet Development
Some early testwork programmes were undertaken using fresh mineralisation from Pitfield, however once an understanding of the mineralogy and volume of the weathered zone was developed, the focus shifted to this material.
Comminution and Mineral Separation
Several comminution tests have been completed on drillcore samples to investigate potential for low energy input comminution such as scrubbers and log washers. The optimal regrind liberation size range and the energy input required, which appears to be very low, continues to be investigated.
A wide range of unit processes are being investigated for mineral separation utilising whole-of-ore samples as well as separated coarse and fine fraction samples.
Testwork on the coarse fraction has focused on gravity and enhanced gravity separation, testing shaking tables, spirals, and a Multi Gravity Separator (MGS). The shaking table tests and MGS tests were completed at batch scale (~5-20kg), whilst the spiral tests were undertaken on a much larger, bulk scale (~300-600kg).
Testwork on the fine fraction looked at enhanced gravity (MGS) and froth flotation. A range of flotation reagents and conditions are being tested. Relevant examples exist in the non-sulphide flotation industry, including anatase flotation from kaolin clay minerals in the kaolinite industry.
Whole-of-ore testwork is in the planning stages for comparison against gravity separation performance. This testwork will focus on grinding, flotation and then further treatment of the flotation concentrate assessing a number of different separation processes.
Key results to date include:
· Fine fraction "rougher" flotation on a TOM SAP sample has achieved 67- 77% TiO2 recovery and up to 19% TiO2 concentrate grade. Similar recovery performance was achieved on a COS WS sample fines fraction with a "rougher" flotation recovery of 68%.
· Cleaner tests on rougher concentrate from the TOM SAP rougher flotation test achieved a 90% stage recovery at 32%TiO2 concentrate grade. This equates to an overall float recovery of circa 70%.
· Bulk scrubber testwork on TOM SAP sample resulted in 51% of the mass and 72% of the contained TiO2 to the fines fraction, using a hydro cyclone. Similar results were seen on a smaller scale scrubber test using drillcore material, with 53% of the mass and 66% of the TiO2 reporting to the fines fraction, using a 38µm screen.
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Figure3. (L-R): Bulk Scrubber test in progress at AML, Batch slimes fraction rougher flotation test at ALS.
Elemental Extraction and Product Finishing
A wide range of concepts are being explored for extraction of titanium from the mineral concentrate. These range from conventional processes, already applied in the titanium industry or other comparable industries, to more novel processes that have been developed through laboratory research and pilot scale testing.
A base case of sulphuric acid bake water leach, followed by titanium hydrolysis and calcination has been tested by Empire. This is based on the conventional sulphate route for TiO2 pigment production, which is usually applied to ilmenite concentrates. A range of other lixiviants and decomposition and leach conditions have been identified and are planned to be tested as part of the ongoing development programme.
Product finishing testwork aims to take titanium from the leach solutions and produce a final product. It is closely tied to the elemental extraction, so in some cases is being tested as part of that testwork programme. There is a range of product options: separate research testwork is being undertaken to develop and understanding of the various TiO2 pigments and Ti chemicals that Pitfield can produce and the markets in which these products are required.
Around 15 leach tests have been completed to date, including five product finishing tests. A number of product process options are as yet untested: further testwork is budgeted and is currently in the planning stage.
Elemental extraction results achieved to date include:
- Acid bake water leach tests on rougher flotation concentrate have achieved 98% TiO2 extraction to the liquor phase.
- Titanium hydrolysis and calcination has been successfully applied to the leach liquor after iron conversion, producing a low-impurity TiO2 product containing 99.25% TiO2.
- Recovery in the hydrolysis stage requires further testwork as the conditions applied in the tests and has not yet been optimised. Hydrolysis is a standard process used in sulphate pigment industry, and high recoveries (greater than 95%) are achieved on a commercial scale.
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Figure 4. Elemental Extraction testwork (L-R): Acid-Concentrate mixing pre-acid bake, Acid bake product, initial stages of water leach, water leach residue and filtrate.
Product Potential
A fast-tracked separate work programme was undertaken to determine whether an impurity-free high grade product could be made from samples taken at Pitfield. The sample was processed through scrubbing, gravity separation, flotation, acid bake/water leach, impurity removal, titanium hydrolysis and calcination. The flowsheet used and conditions selected were based on industrial examples and literature. This work achieved a product grade of 99.25% TiO2: impurity levels, particularly colorformers which impact negatively on pigment quality, were below detection limits or very low. (Announcement "Exceptional High-Purity TiO2 Product Achievement" 9 June 2025).
Further work is ongoing to understand the TiO2 pigment market, optimise the test conditions and also understand the alternative product options, such as TiCl4 (the feedstock for making titanium sponge metal) or other titanium chemicals.
Figure5. Purification and Product finishing testwork (L-R): titanyl sulphate solution from leaching stage, hydrated TiO2 produced from hydrolysis, and the calcined TiO 2 product
Future metallurgical testwork
Empire has committed significant resources to enable the process flowsheet development programme to continue to proceed at pace. This includes not only the allocation of several full time Empire technical staff but also the use of various industry specialists who support the Empire team in managing the necessary metallurgical testwork and research programmes.
Over the coming months the Company will focus on optimising the mineral separation stages to further improve the flotation and gravity concentrate grades and recovery. Bulk metallurgical testwork has commenced, utilising large scale scrubbing, gravity and flotation test equipment at local mineral processing laboratories. This testwork will produce significant quantities of titanium mineral concentrates: allowing the testing of multiple downstream beneficiation options aimed at defining the optimal hydrometallurgical processing route.
Finished product optimisation, through research and laboratory testwork, is continuing and is aimed at further refining the +99% titanium product already achieved to date, looking at alternative titanium products for marketing purposes.
The next steps for the mineral separation flowsheet development will be further optimisation of the chemistry and conditions, larger scale batch testwork and then continuous piloting can be undertaken at a laboratory scale. Testwork to date has shown the Pitfield weathered ores amenability to conventional mineral separation, beneficiation and refining techniques, and this avoids the need to build a bespoke, demonstration plant. A simpler and lower cost continuous pilot plant operation can be established, utilising local, internationally accredited commercial metallurgical laboratories.
The Company aims to complete the bench and large scale batch metallurgical testwork phase by Q1 2026, which is when it expects to move toward continuous piloting of the process in order to provide the critical technical information for the development of a commercial process flowsheet and to enable the supply of bulk product samples to prospective end users.
The Pitfield Titanium Project
Located within the Mid-West region of Western Australia, near the northern wheatbelt town of Three Springs, the Pitfield titanium project lies 313km north of Perth and 156km southeast of Geraldton, the Mid West region's capital and major port. Western Australia is a Tier 1 mining jurisdiction, with mining-friendly policies, stable government, transparency, and advanced technology expertise. Pitfield has existing connections to port (both road & rail), HV power substations, and is nearby to natural gas pipelines as well as a green energy hydrogen fuel hub, which is under planning and development (refer Figure 3).
Figure 3. Pitfield Project Location showing theMid-West Region Infrastructure and Services
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.
The technical information in this report that relates to the Pitfield Project has been compiled by Mr Andrew Faragher, an employee of Empire Metals Australia Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Empire. Mr Faragher is a Member of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Mr Faragher has sufficient experience that is 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 2012 Edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves'. Mr Faragher consents to the inclusion in this release of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.
Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure
Certain information contained in this announcement would have been deemed inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014, as incorporated into UK law by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, until the release of this announcement.
**ENDS**
For further information please visit www.empiremetals.co.uk or contact:
Empire Metals Ltd Shaun Bunn / Greg Kuenzel / Arabella Burwell | Tel: 020 4583 1440 |
S. P. Angel Corporate Finance LLP (Nomad & Broker) Ewan Leggat / Adam Cowl | Tel: 020 3470 0470 |
Shard Capital Partners LLP (Joint Broker) Damon Heath / Erik Woolgar | Tel: 020 7186 9950 |
St Brides Partners Ltd (Financial PR) Susie Geliher / Charlotte Page | Tel: 020 7236 1177 |
About Empire Metals Limited
Empire Metals is an AIM-listed and OTCQB-traded exploration and resource development company (LON: EEE) with a primary focus on developing Pitfield, an emerging giant titanium project in Western Australia.
The high-grade titanium discovery at Pitfield is of unprecedented scale, with airborne surveys identifying a massive, coincident gravity and magnetics anomaly extending over 40km by 8km by 5km deep. Drill results have indicated excellent continuity in grades and consistency of the mineralised beds and confirm that the sandstone beds hold the higher-grade titanium dioxide (TiO₂) values within the interbedded succession of sandstones, siltstones and conglomerates. The Company is focused on two key prospects (Cosgrove and Thomas), which have been identified as having thick, high-grade, near-surface, bedded TiO₂ mineralisation, each being over 7km in strike length.
An Exploration Target* for Pitfield was declared in 2024, covering the Thomas and Cosgrove mineral prospects, and was estimated to contain between 26.4 to 32.2 billion tonnes with a grade range of 4.5 to 5.5% TiO2. Included within the total Exploration Target* is a subset that covers the weathered sandstone zone, which extends from surface to an average vertical depth of 30m to 40m and is estimated to contain between 4.0 to 4.9 billion tonnes with a grade range of 4.8 to 5.9% TiO2.
The Exploration Target* covers an area less than 20% of the overall mineral system at Pitfield which demonstrates the potential for significant further upside.
Empire is now accelerating the economic development of Pitfield, with a vision to produce a high-value titanium metal or pigment quality product at Pitfield, to realise the full value potential of this exceptional deposit.
The Company also has two further exploration projects in Australia; the Eclipse Project and the Walton Project in Western Australia, in addition to three precious metals projects located in a historically high-grade gold producing region of Austria.
*The potential quantity and grade of the Exploration Target is conceptual in nature. There has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource.
This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.
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Empire Metals
Investor Insight
Empire Metals (OTCQB:EPMLF, AIM:EEE) is unlocking one of the world’s largest and purest titanium deposits at its flagship Pitfield project in Western Australia. With growing global demand, a looming supply deficit, and near-term development milestones, Empire offers a compelling investment opportunity in the critical minerals space.
Overview
Empire Metals (OTCQB:EPMLF, AIM:EEE) is an Australian focused exploration and resource development company rapidly gaining international attention for its discovery and rapid development of what is believed to be the world’s largest titanium deposit.
The company is focused on advancing its flagship asset, the Pitfield project, located in Western Australia, a tier 1 mining jurisdiction. With a dominant landholding of more than 1,000 sq km, and a titanium mineral system that spans 40 km in strike length, Pitfield is emerging as a district-scale “giant” discovery with the potential to reshape the global titanium supply landscape.
Empire’s strategic focus on titanium comes at a pivotal time. Titanium is officially recognized as a critical mineral by both the European Union and the United States, owing to its essential role in aerospace, defense, medical technologies, clean energy and high-performance industrial applications. Global demand for titanium dioxide — the most widely used form of titanium — is surging due to its unmatched properties as a pigment and as a feedstock for titanium metal. Titanium supply chains are also increasingly being constrained by geopolitical risks, mine depletion and environmental challenges associated with traditional production. More than 60 percent of the global supply chain is currently concentrated in a handful of countries, notably China and Russia, creating significant vulnerabilities for Western markets.
Titanium has been designated as a critical mineral in both the EU and the US.
Against this backdrop, Empire Metals offers investors a compelling opportunity to gain exposure to a strategically vital metal through a large-scale, high-grade and clean titanium discovery. Unlike many traditional titanium sources, Pitfield's mineralization is exceptionally pure — free from detrimental amounts of uranium, thorium, chromium and other contaminants — making it ideally suited for premium, high-purity end markets. Furthermore, the mineralized zone is near-surface and laterally extensive, allowing for low-strip and scalable bulk mining with conventional processing technologies.
With more than 22,000 meters of drilling already completed and only a fraction of the mineral system tested, Empire is aggressively advancing Pitfield towards a maiden JORC-compliant mineral resource estimate, targeted for H2-2025. Alongside this work, the company is also undertaking bulk sampling and metallurgical processing to advance flowsheet design and optimize product specifications. It is also engaging with industry players to assess product suitability for premium pigment and titanium sponge markets. Empire is planning to finalize, during the current calendar year, a mining study to evaluate the potential for a low-cost strip mining approach, utilizing continuous mining techniques.
The company is supported by a seasoned leadership team with deep expertise in exploration, resource development, mining, metallurgy and capital markets — ensuring that strategic decisions are guided by both technical excellence and a strong track record of value creation.
Company Highlights
- The flagship Pitfield project is the world’s largest known titanium discovery. It’s a district-scale “giant” titanium mineral system, characterised by high-grade, high-purity titanium mineralisation exhibiting exceptional continuity.
- Titanium is in a global supply deficit and recognized as a critical mineral by the EU and US.
- Drill intercepts at Pitfield include up to 202 meters at 6.32 percent titanium dioxide (TiO2) from surface, confirming vast scale and grade.
- Empire Metals operates in one of the world’s most secure, mining-friendly jurisdictions: Western Australia.
- The company is led by an experienced, agile team, with proven expertise in exploration, mine development, and value creation across multiple commodities.
- With a number of key development catalysts planned for 2025, including a maiden resource estimate, bulk sampling for scale-up of metallurgical testwork, and product optimisation, Empire remains significantly undervalued relative to its peers.
Key Projects
Pitfield Project – A World-Class Titanium Discovery
Located in Western Australia, the Pitfield project is Empire Metals’ flagship asset and represents one of the most exciting titanium discoveries globally. Spanning an area of approximately 1,042 sq km, the project has revealed a colossal mineral system measuring 40 km in length and up to 8 km in width, with geophysical indications of mineralization extending to at least a depth of 5 km.
Pitfield’s prime location in Western Australia
Extensive drilling across the project has intercepted thick, laterally continuous zones of high-grade titanium dioxide mineralization, highlighting the system’s enormous scale and consistency.
The titanium at Pitfield occurs predominantly in the minerals anatase and rutile within a weathered, in-situ cap that begins at surface. These minerals are exceptionally pure, often exceeding 90 percent titanium dioxide. They are free from harmful amounts of contaminants like uranium, thorium, chromium and phosphorus — qualities that are likely to make the deposit uniquely suitable for premium, high-purity titanium applications in aerospace, defense and clean technologies.
Pitfield is strategically located near the town of Three Springs, approximately 150 km southeast of the port city of Geraldton. The project benefits from direct access to essential infrastructure, including sealed highways, rail lines and an available water supply. This connectivity significantly enhances development potential by reducing logistics costs and simplifying future project build-out. Moreover, the Western Australian government actively supports critical mineral development, and Empire is operating within a stable, mining-friendly jurisdiction known for streamlined permitting and investment security.
Empire has completed more than 22,000 meters of drilling, confirming standout titanium dioxide (TiO2) results such as 154 meters at 6.76 percent TiO2, 148 meters at 6.49 percent TiO2, and 150 meters at 6.44 percent TiO2. Notably, mineralization remains open at depth in all tested zones, and to date, only around 5 percent of the interpreted system has been drilled. This underscores the immense upside potential for resource expansion.
The project’s development advantages are equally compelling: the mineralization is near-surface and amenable to simple, bulk mining methods with conventional processing. Its location in a tier-one mining jurisdiction offers access to infrastructure, a skilled workforce and strong regulatory support.
The Pitfield project presents a scalable processing pathway. Photo shows a gravity flotation test in process (left) and a close-up of a flotation test (right)
Pitfield is advancing toward a maiden JORC-compliant mineral resource estimate, expected by H2-2025. The project is already being recognized as a potential cornerstone asset in the global titanium supply chain.
In August 2025, Empire Metals achieved a metallurgical breakthrough, confirming that conventional processing can deliver strong results. Testwork returned 77 percent recovery in the rougher stage, 90 percent in cleaning, and 98 percent titanium dissolution, for an overall 67 percent titanium recovery. The process produced a high-purity TiO₂ concentrate grading 99.25 percent with ~5 percent Fe₂O₃, supporting plans for a lower-cost pilot plant.
Other Projects
In addition to Pitfield, Empire Metals maintains a portfolio of early-stage exploration assets offering optionality and exposure to other strategic and precious metals. Empire holds interests in two Western Australian projects — the Walton and Eclipse gold projects — both situated in historically productive mineral belts. While these assets are not the current focus, they contribute exploration upside and optionality within the company’s broader strategy.
Management Team
Neil O’Brien - Non-executive Chairman
Neil O’Brien is the former SVP exploration and new business development at Lundin
Mining, until he retired in 2018. He has an extensive global mining career as a PhD economic geologist, exploration leader and board executive.
Shaun Bunn - Managing Director
Shaun Bunn is a metallurgist based in Perth, Western Australia, with expertise in international exploration, mining, processing and development. He has a successful track record managing mining projects through all stages of development.
Greg Kuenzel - Finance Director
Based in London, Greg Kuenzel is a chartered accountant, and corporate finance and financial management expert. He has extensive experience working with resources-focused AIM listed companies.
Peter Damouni - Non-executive Director
With more than 20 years of corporate and finance experience focused in the natural resources sector, Peter Damouni holds executive and director roles in TSXV and LSE listed companies where he has played key roles in significantly enhancing shareholder value.
Phil Brumit - Non-executive Director
Phil Brumit is a veteran mining engineer and operations expert, delivering major global operations. His previous roles include international leadership positions at Freeport-McMoRan, Lundin Mining and Newmont Corporation.
Narelle Marriott - Process Development Manager
Narelle Marriott is a former BHP senior process engineer. Most recently, she was the general manager for process development for Hastings Technology Metals.
Andrew Faragher - Exploration Manager
Andrew Faragher is a former Rio Tinto exploration manager with more than 25 years of experience working across multiple commodities.
Arabella Burwell - Corporate Development
Arabella Burwell is a former Senior Director Corporate Development at NASDAQ-listed GoDaddy and a Partner, Capital Raising and Strategic Partnerships, at Hannam & Partners in London and South Africa.
Carrie Pritchard – Environmental Manager
Carrie brings over 20 years of international experience in environmental management, project development, regulatory approvals, and impact assessment. Her expertise spans mine closure and reclamation, stakeholder engagement, and the remediation of contaminated sites. She has led projects across Australia (Western Australia and Victoria) and New Zealand and has also contributed to initiatives in Malawi and Greenland.
David Parker – Commercial Manager
David Parker brings over 20 years of experience in equity capital markets, with a strong focus on the mining, industrial, and technology sectors. He has held senior roles as director and company secretary for several ASX-listed companies, providing strategic leadership and commercial oversight across diverse corporate environments.
Advancing a game-changing, globally significant titanium project in Western Australia.
Empire Metals Limited Announces Appointment of Marketing Manager
- Appointment of Marketing Manager, Michael Tamlin, to lead product strategy and end-user engagement.
- Partnership with TiPMC Consulting extended, providing strategic titanium market insights.
- Bulk metallurgical testwork progressing well, producing concentrate for downstream processing and larger product samples for end-user evaluation.
Appointment of Marketing Managerto Accelerate Product Development
Empire has appointed Mr. Michael Tamlin as Marketing Manager, which is aligned with the Company's objective to optimise product development, assess commercial process flowsheet options and progress the Project toward a feasibility study.
Further strengthening the Company's in-house product development capabilities. Mr. Tamlin is a metallurgist with over 30 years' experience in the resources sector, including senior roles in marketing and commercialising mineral products. Most recently, he served as Head of Lithium at Neometals Ltd, where he was responsible for managing the pilot development and commercialisation of the ELi™ lithium hydroxide production process in joint venture with Mineral Resources Ltd. His expertise will be instrumental in building Pitfield's product strategy and engaging with potential end-users in high-value titanium markets.
Continuing Partnership with TiPMC Consulting:
Empire has extended its consultancy agreement with TiPMC, a highly respected, US-based titanium industry consultancy. TiPMC will provide oversight of the titanium pigment and metal markets and provide guidance to the Company's technical and marketing team as they continue to develop the processing flowsheet and optimise the products.
Commenting on the announcement, Shaun Bunn, Managing Director, said:
"I am delighted to welcome Michael to our team. His extensive marketing expertise will be invaluable as we move toward defining the economic potential and product strategy for Pitfield. This appointment marks an important next step towards building a strong, in-house team, an approach which has been key to our successful and rapid progress.
"We are also very pleased to continue to be working with TiPMC Consulting, whose reputation and experience in the titanium industry is unparalleled."
Product Development Update
Initial results from the large-scale metallurgical testwork programme, involving mineral separation techniques that required bulk feed samples of between approximately 0.5 to 1.5 tonnes each, was announced on 28 August 2025. The bulk testwork programme is progressing well, focusing on ore scrubbing, desliming and gravity spiral testwork, as well as flotation testwork on both the fines fraction, separated in the desliming step, and whole of ore samples. Large scale scrubbing and spiral gravity testwork has been completed on Thomas and Cosgrove weathered sandstone bulk samples and the screened fines have been sent for flotation testwork. As part of this programme, mineral concentrates will be produced for downstream processing, testing both hydrometallurgical and product finishing flowsheet concepts.
This bulk testwork programme will produce significant volumes of concentrates which will feed into the product development and optimisation testwork and result in larger product samples which can be delivered to potential end users for assessment. The role of Marketing Manager will be fundamental to identifying these potential end users and for the development of a high value customer base for a variety of titanium products from Pitfield.
The Marketing Manager will also be responsible for conducting market research, focusing on high value end uses and likely consumers, preparing a Marketing Strategy and Marketing Presentation for the Project and for identifying key customers and suitable product suites in advance of sending out marketing enquiries and product samples.
About TiPMC Consulting
TiPMC Consulting provides independent consulting analyses, perspectives and recommendations for financial as well as industry functions and segments. Their expertise includes thorough reviews of business data as well as the operational, technical, and marketing functionalities for mining, metals, pigments, and chemical industry segments.
Their industry clients recognize the value of their incisive focus on the TiO2 value chain as well as associated businesses, including thorough reviews of fluorochemicals, fluoropolymers, titanium metal and alloys, costings, and other industries associated with the titanium value chain.
The Pitfield Titanium Project
Located within the Mid-West region of Western Australia, near the northern wheatbelt town of Three Springs, the Pitfield titanium project lies 313km north of Perth and 156km southeast of Geraldton, the Mid West region's capital and major port. Western Australia is a Tier 1 mining jurisdiction and has mining-friendly policies, stable government, transparency, and advanced technology expertise. Pitfield has existing connections to port (both road & rail), HV power substations, and is nearby to natural gas pipelines (refer Figure 2).
Figure 2. Pitfield Project Location showing theMid-West Region Infrastructure and Services.
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.
The technical information in this report that relates to the geology and exploration of the Pitfield Project has been compiled by Mr Andrew Faragher, an employee of Empire Metals Australia Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Empire. Mr. Faragher is a member of the AusIMM and has sufficient experience that is 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. Mr Faragher consents to the inclusion in this release of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.
**ENDS**
For further information please visit www.empiremetals.co.uk or contact:
About Empire Metals Limited
Empire Metals is an AIM-listed and OTCQX-traded exploration and resource development company (LON: EEE,OTCQX: EPMLF) with a primary focus on developing Pitfield, an emerging giant titanium project in Western Australia.
The high-grade titanium discovery at Pitfield is of unprecedented scale, with airborne surveys identifying a massive, coincident gravity and magnetics anomaly extending over 40km by 8km by 5km deep. Drill results have indicated excellent continuity in grades and consistency of the in-situ mineralised beds and confirm that the sandstone beds hold the higher-grade titanium dioxide (TiO₂) values within the interbedded succession of sandstones, siltstones and conglomerates. The Company is focused on two key prospects (Cosgrove and Thomas), which have been identified as having thick, high-grade, near-surface, in-situ bedded TiO₂ mineralisation, each being over 7km in strike length.
An Exploration Target* for Pitfield was declared in 2024, covering the Thomas and Cosgrove mineral prospects, and was estimated to contain between 26.4 to 32.2 billion tonnes with a grade range of 4.5 to 5.5% TiO2. Included within the total Exploration Target* is a subset that covers the in-situ weathered sandstone zone, which extends from surface to an average vertical depth of 30m to 40m and is estimated to contain between 4.0 to 4.9 billion tonnes with a grade range of 4.8 to 5.9% TiO2.
The Exploration Target* covers an area less than 20% of the overall mineral system at Pitfield which demonstrates the potential for significant further upside.
Empire is now accelerating the economic development of Pitfield, with a vision to produce a high-value titanium metal or pigment quality product at Pitfield, to realise the full value potential of this exceptional deposit.
The Company also has two further exploration projects in Australia; the Eclipse Project and the Walton Project in Western Australia, in addition to three precious metals projects located in a historically high-grade gold producing region of Austria.
*The potential quantity and grade of the Exploration Target is conceptual in nature. There has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource. See RNS dated 12 June 2024 for full details.
This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.
Empire Metals Limited Announces Director/PDMR Shareholding
**ENDS**
For further information please visit www.empiremetals.co.uk or contact:
About Empire Metals Limited
Empire Metals is an AIM-listedand OTCQX-traded exploration and resource development company (LON: EEE,OTCQX: EPMLF) with a primary focus on developing Pitfield, an emerging giant titanium project in Western Australia.
The high-grade titanium discovery at Pitfield is of unprecedented scale, with airborne surveys identifying a massive, coincident gravity and magnetics anomaly extending over 40km by 8km by 5km deep. Drill results have indicated excellent continuity in grades and consistency of the in-situ mineralised beds and confirm that the sandstone beds hold the higher-grade titanium dioxide (TiO₂) values within the interbedded succession of sandstones, siltstones and conglomerates. The Company is focused on two key prospects (Cosgrove and Thomas), which have been identified as having thick, high-grade, near-surface, in-situ bedded TiO₂ mineralisation, each being over 7km in strike length.
An Exploration Target* for Pitfield was declared in 2024, covering the Thomas and Cosgrove mineral prospects, and was estimated to contain between 26.4 to 32.2 billion tonnes with a grade range of 4.5 to 5.5% TiO2. Included within the total Exploration Target* is a subset that covers the in-situ weathered sandstone zone, which extends from surface to an average vertical depth of 30m to 40m and is estimated to contain between 4.0 to 4.9 billion tonnes with a grade range of 4.8 to 5.9% TiO2.
The Exploration Target* covers an area less than 20% of the overall mineral system at Pitfield which demonstrates the potential for significant further upside.
Empire is now accelerating the economic development of Pitfield, with a vision to produce a high-value titanium metal or pigment quality product at Pitfield, to realise the full value potential of this exceptional deposit.
The Company also has two further exploration projects in Australia; the Eclipse Project and the Walton Project in Western Australia, in addition to three precious metals projects located in a historically high-grade gold producing region of Austria.
*The potential quantity and grade of the Exploration Target is conceptual in nature. There has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource. See RNS dated 12 June 2024 for full details.
NOTIFICATION AND PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF TRANSACTIONS BY PERSONS DISCHARGING MANAGERIAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND PERSONS CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH THEM
This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.
Empire Metals Limited Announces Company Update
Overview
- Maiden Mineral Resource Estimate on track for release in October 2025.
- The maiden MRE will provide a platform for mine scoping studies.
- Expanded metallurgical testwork and optimisation programmes are underway, leading to continuous pilot-scale operations.
Shaun Bunn, Managing Director, commented:
"Empire has achieved exceptional progress at Pitfield in a very short time and its operational trajectory continues to impress. The combination of outstanding drill results, breakthrough metallurgy, and further injection of capital in May has transformed the Company. These fundamentals remain unchanged and continue to strengthen. Pitfield is now firmly established as a project of global significance, with a unique combination of scale, grade and processing simplicity that sets it apart from other titanium projects worldwide.
"We look forward to sharing further milestones in the coming weeks as we add further tangible value to the Company through the delineation of a maiden MRE at Pitfield."
**ENDS**
For further information please visit www.empiremetals.co.uk or contact:
About Empire Metals Limited
Empire Metals is an AIM-listed and OTCQX-traded exploration and resource development company (LON: EEE, OTCQX: EPMLF) with a primary focus on developing Pitfield, an emerging giant titanium project in Western Australia.
The high-grade titanium discovery at Pitfield is of unprecedented scale, with airborne surveys identifying a massive, coincident gravity and magnetics anomaly extending over 40km by 8km by 5km deep. Drill results have indicated excellent continuity in grades and consistency of the in-situ mineralised beds and confirm that the sandstone beds hold the higher-grade titanium dioxide (TiO₂) values within the interbedded succession of sandstones, siltstones and conglomerates. The Company is focused on two key prospects (Cosgrove and Thomas), which have been identified as having thick, high-grade, near-surface, in-situ bedded TiO₂ mineralisation, each being over 7km in strike length.
An Exploration Target* for Pitfield was declared in 2024, covering the Thomas and Cosgrove mineral prospects, and was estimated to contain between 26.4 to 32.2 billion tonnes with a grade range of 4.5 to 5.5% TiO2. Included within the total Exploration Target* is a subset that covers the in-situ weathered sandstone zone, which extends from surface to an average vertical depth of 30m to 40m and is estimated to contain between 4.0 to 4.9 billion tonnes with a grade range of 4.8 to 5.9% TiO2.
The Exploration Target* covers an area less than 20% of the overall mineral system at Pitfield which demonstrates the potential for significant further upside.
Empire is now accelerating the economic development of Pitfield, with a vision to produce a high-value titanium metal or pigment quality product at Pitfield, to realise the full value potential of this exceptional deposit.
The Company also has two further exploration projects in Australia; the Eclipse Project and the Walton Project in Western Australia, in addition to three precious metals projects located in a historically high-grade gold producing region of Austria
*The potential quantity and grade of the Exploration Target is conceptual in nature. There has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource. See RNS dated 12 June 2024 for full details.
This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.
High-Grade Copper-Gold Extensions at Nugent
High Grade Copper-Gold mineralisation extensions discovered during extensional and infill drilling at Nugent, with multiple outstanding intersections returned, including:
- 21m @ 0.85% Cu + 0.98g/t Au from 136m downhole in 25KVUG0653
- 15m @ 0.91% Cu + 0.29g/t Au from 161m downhole in 25KVUG0653
- 11.5m @ 0.99% Cu + 0.79g/t Au from 145.5m downhole in 25KVUG0543
- Including 4m @ 1.93% Cu +1.14g/t Au from 153m
- 8m @ 0.85% Cu + 0.36g/t Au from 177m downhole in 25KVUG0555
- 5m @ 1.43% Cu + 0.34g/t Au from 194m downhole in 25KVUG0555
- 3m @ 0.98% Cu + 0.99g/t Au from 171m downhole in 25KVUG0559
- 4m @ 0.76% Cu + 0.46g/t Au from 177m downhole in 25KVUG0559
Figure 1: Plan View of drilling showing the high Gold grades intersected at the Southern end of Nugent against the 2024 MRE sliced at the 1020 metre RL displaying Gold grades.
Commenting on the drilling results, Hillgrove CEO and Managing Director, Bob Fulker said:
“It is encouraging that each time we test a geological theory we continue to identify additional mineralisation and gain a better understanding of the controls on mineralisation. These results are very exciting, as they provide a greater understanding of the Gold distribution throughout Nugent. It was previously thought that the Southern extent of Nugent had lower Gold grade, based on previous drilling, but these results show this is not the case.
It is also pleasing that as we drill beyond our current understanding of the Nugent ore body, we continue to encounter an expanding alteration corridor with Copper and Gold mineralisation within it. The Nugent 1020 Southern Ore Drive will commence stoping in the December quarter this year.”
Figure 2: View towards the east showing the high Copper grades intersected at the Southern end of Nugent against the 2024 MRE displaying Copper Grades
The Nugent drilling completed to date has targeted resource definition, with the focus shifting in recent weeks to grade control as first Nugent production draws closer. The recent assays from the 1010 diamond drill site have a dual purpose of both grade control and resource definition, with the results sitting further south-west than previously identified from resource drilling at surface. The high-grade intersections include 21metres @ 0.85% Cu and 0.98g/t Au (uncut) from 136 metres downhole in 25KVUG0653 and 11.5 metres @ 0.99% Cu & 0.79g/t Au (uncut) from 145.5 metres downhole in 25KVUG0543. These results improve the understanding of high-grade geometry and interaction of the Copper and Gold bearing fluids in the alteration corridor.
Drilling is ongoing for both stope definition and resource expansion throughout the Kanmantoo system, with upcoming Nugent drilling planned to target the northern end of the 1020 level. This will provide input into future planning alongside operational requirements for stope and development designs. Drilling is currently underway from the 1010 diamond drill site targeting Emily Star, with initial results pending.
Figure 1 above details the location of significant intersections relating to the current 2024 Kanmantoo Mineral Resource Estimate1 gold values, with gold results displayed for the drilling results. The full list of significant intersections is included in Table 1 below. Figure 2 above details a section view of drilling results showing the Copper results against the 2024 Kanmantoo Mineral Resource Estimate1 Copper values.
Drilling from underground remains on track to achieve the target of 60,000 metres by the end of the calendar year. August delivered 8,114.6 metres of diamond drilling, which is a record for the company to date. Year-to-date, a total of 42,816.2 metres has been drilled. An updated Resource estimation will be released in the December quarter 2025 inclusive of drilling results up to mid-August.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Hillgrove Resources, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
Empire Metals Limited Announces Director/PDMR Shareholding
Empire Metals Limited (LON:EEE)(OTCQX:EPMLF), the AIM-quoted resource exploration and development company, announces that it was notified today that Mr Greg Kuenzel, Finance Director, purchased 111,091 ordinary shares of no par value in the share capital of the Company ("Ordinary Shares") at a price of 45 pence each.
Following this purchase, Mr Kuenzel's total beneficial ownership in the Company is 3,969,669 Ordinary Shares representing 0.57% of the Company's issued share capital.
**ENDS**
For further information please visit www.empiremetals.co.uk or contact:
About Empire Metals Limited
Empire Metals is an AIM-listed and OTCQX-traded exploration and resource development company (LON: EEE, OTCQX: EPMLF) with a primary focus on developing Pitfield, an emerging giant titanium project in Western Australia.
The high-grade titanium discovery at Pitfield is of unprecedented scale, with airborne surveys identifying a massive, coincident gravity and magnetics anomaly extending over 40km by 8km by 5km deep. Drill results have indicated excellent continuity in grades and consistency of the in-situ mineralised beds and confirm that the sandstone beds hold the higher-grade titanium dioxide (TiO₂) values within the interbedded succession of sandstones, siltstones and conglomerates. The Company is focused on two key prospects (Cosgrove and Thomas), which have been identified as having thick, high-grade, near-surface, in-situ bedded TiO₂ mineralisation, each being over 7km in strike length.
An Exploration Target* for Pitfield was declared in 2024, covering the Thomas and Cosgrove mineral prospects, and was estimated to contain between 26.4 to 32.2 billion tonnes with a grade range of 4.5 to 5.5% TiO2. Included within the total Exploration Target* is a subset that covers the in-situ weathered sandstone zone, which extends from surface to an average vertical depth of 30m to 40m and is estimated to contain between 4.0 to 4.9 billion tonnes with a grade range of 4.8 to 5.9% TiO2.
The Exploration Target* covers an area less than 20% of the overall mineral system at Pitfield which demonstrates the potential for significant further upside.
Empire is now accelerating the economic development of Pitfield, with a vision to produce a high-value titanium metal or pigment quality product at Pitfield, to realise the full value potential of this exceptional deposit.
The Company also has two further exploration projects in Australia; the Eclipse Project and the Walton Project in Western Australia, in addition to three precious metals projects located in a historically high-grade gold producing region of Austria.
*The potential quantity and grade of the Exploration Target is conceptual in nature. There has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource. See RNS dated 12 June 2024 for full details.
NOTIFICATION AND PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF TRANSACTIONS BY PERSONS DISCHARGING MANAGERIAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND PERSONS CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH THEM
This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.
Empire Metals Limited Announces Exercise of Options
Application for Admission
Application will be made to the London Stock Exchange for the new shares to be admitted to trading on AIM ('Admission'). It is expected that Admission will become effective on or around 18 September 2025.
Following Admission of the new shares as described above, the issued share capital of the Company will consist of 693,393,221 ordinary shares of no-par value. 693,393,221 represents the total number of voting rights in the Company and may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they can determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in the Company under the Financial Conduct Authority's Disclosure and Transparency Rules.
**ENDS**
For further information please visit www.empiremetals.co.uk or contact:
About Empire Metals Limited
Empire Metals is an AIM-listed and OTCQX-traded exploration and resource development company (LON:EEE)(OTCQX:EPMLF) with a primary focus on developing Pitfield, an emerging giant titanium project in Western Australia.
The high-grade titanium discovery at Pitfield is of unprecedented scale, with airborne surveys identifying a massive, coincident gravity and magnetics anomaly extending over 40km by 8km by 5km deep. Drill results have indicated excellent continuity in grades and consistency of the in-situ mineralised beds and confirm that the sandstone beds hold the higher-grade titanium dioxide (TiO₂) values within the interbedded succession of sandstones, siltstones and conglomerates. The Company is focused on two key prospects (Cosgrove and Thomas), which have been identified as having thick, high-grade, near-surface, in-situ bedded TiO₂ mineralisation, each being over 7km in strike length.
An Exploration Target* for Pitfield was declared in 2024, covering the Thomas and Cosgrove mineral prospects, and was estimated to contain between 26.4 to 32.2 billion tonnes with a grade range of 4.5 to 5.5% TiO2. Included within the total Exploration Target* is a subset that covers the in-situ weathered sandstone zone, which extends from surface to an average vertical depth of 30m to 40m and is estimated to contain between 4.0 to 4.9 billion tonnes with a grade range of 4.8 to 5.9% TiO2.
The Exploration Target* covers an area less than 20% of the overall mineral system at Pitfield which demonstrates the potential for significant further upside.
Empire is now accelerating the economic development of Pitfield, with a vision to produce a high-value titanium metal or pigment quality product at Pitfield, to realise the full value potential of this exceptional deposit.
The Company also has two further exploration projects in Australia; the Eclipse Project and the Walton Project in Western Australia, in addition to three precious metals projects located in a historically high-grade gold producing region of Austria.
*The potential quantity and grade of the Exploration Target is conceptual in nature. There has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource. See RNS dated 12 June 2024 for full details.
This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.