Empire Metals shows latest milestone with sucessful production test

Empire Metals shows latest milestone with successful production test

Empire Metals Ltd (AIM:EEE, OTCQX:EPMLF) told investors it has successfully produced rutile pigment from its Pitfield titanium ore in Western Australia, advancing plans to target the architectural coatings market where coated pigment currently commands average prices of around US$3,250 a tonne.

The latest testwork converted Pitfield’s anatase-rich material into rutile by optimising hydrolysis and calcination conditions within the company’s processing flowsheet. X-ray analysis confirmed all contained TiO₂ was present in rutile crystal form. Chemical testing returned 97.6% TiO₂ because of an unexpected 0.65% sulphur content, which Empire said would normally be removed during high-temperature calcination. Adjusting for the anomaly gave a calculated pigment grade of 99.2% TiO₂.

Further work is now focused on reducing remaining impurities and developing the coating stage needed to meet architectural paint specifications. Architectural coatings account for around 2.3 million tonnes of annual TiO₂ pigment demand, roughly a third of global production. Independent data cited by Empire puts the final finishing cost for coated rutile pigment at around US$250-US$320 per tonne for the sulphate process, excluding upstream mining and processing.

Empire is also continuing titanium metal development with Murdoch University. A high-temperature test rig has been completed and is being commissioned ahead of proof-of-concept testing, with the programme targeting completion of the current phases in early 2027.