Leading Edge Materials Presents at Nordic Clean Energy Week

VANCOUVER, May 22, 2018 /CNW/ - Leading Edge Materials Corp. ("Leading Edge Materials") or ("the "Company") (TSXV:LEM) (OTCQB: LEMIF) (Nasdaq First North: LEMSE) is pleased to advise that the Company shall be presenting on  Wednesday 23 May at an EU Battery Alliance event in Malmö, Sweden, held as part of Nordic Clean Energy Week.  Nordic Clean Energy Week is a high profile European event held in Sweden and Denmark, from the 21 May 2018, focusing on the environmental and financial opportunities to arise from low carbon energy generation and energy storage.

The EU Battery Alliance is working to catalyze the establishment of a European lithium-ion battery industry, built upon sustainable, ethical and secure supply chains.  At Nordic Clean Energy Week, Mr. Mark Saxon, a Director of Leading Edge Materials, shall present on the steps required for Europe to play a significant role in the supply of lithium-ion battery raw materials.  With an established mining industry, a well-defined critical materials resource base, low cost green energy and a skilled community, it is recognized that the Nordic region presents an excellent opportunity to become the initial battery materials supply hub that can support the launch of a rapidly expanding European industry.    

Leading Edge Materials, through its fully built Woxna Graphite Mine in central Sweden, is uniquely placed to supply sustainable high-value graphite products to the European battery manufacturers.  Lithium-ion batteries require more than 8 times as much graphite as lithium, and a secure supply is therefore a key battery industry pre-requisite.  Presently, natural graphite for electric vehicles, smartphones and laptops is solely sourced from China, and local sourcing will allow European industry to achieve a reduced carbon footprint and the capacity for continual product development.   

At the Woxna Graphite Mine, Leading Edge Materials is focused on optimization of the purification and shaping processes required to convert low value graphite into high value battery-ready anode material.  Laboratory based work to date has produced battery-ready anode materials by both chemical and thermal purification methods yielding high quality graphite materials that meets the electrochemical specifications of battery cell manufacturers.  Ongoing process optimization of the Woxna flow sheet is underway to define equipment requirements to produce battery grade materials and salable by-products.  The research focus is directed towards process improvements which can be installed on the Woxna mine site within existing operating permits. 

Subject to finance, the company will commence with the design and installation of an onsite Demonstration Plant within the next 12 months.  This demonstration plant will allow engagement with customers by providing volumes of anode materials that are adequate to be used within customer test circuits.  A Demonstration Plant will also enable the company to optimize the process both technically and economically to define a commercial scale plant.

Blair Way, President and CEO, states, "The support that the EU Battery Alliance is receiving from the European Commission highlights the unprecedented interest in the European lithium-ion battery industry and its potential for exceptional growth.  This industry can only be built upon a secure, ethical and low-carbon supply chain, which can quickly be achieved within the Nordic region."  

On behalf of the Board,

"Blair Way"                                                                                                                        
Blair Way, President & CEO

Qualified Person

The qualified person for the Company's project, Mr. Blair Way B.S. (Geology) M.B.A., a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, the Company's President and CEO, has reviewed and verified the contents of this document.

About Leading Edge Materials

Leading Edge Materials was formed with our sights firmly focused on the material demands of a once-in-a-generation revolution, as the world shifts to the efficient production, storage and preservation of low carbon energy. From the lithium batteries in our electric vehicles to our ability to generate energy from the sun, wind and waves LEM is focused on the green energy markets. With a focus on Europe and assets in innovation-rich Scandinavia, Leading Edge Materials is ideally placed to play a pivotal role in the sustainable supply of critical technology materials.

Additional Information

Leading Edge Materials is listed on the TSXV under the symbol "LEM" and Nasdaq First North Stockholm under the symbol " LEMSE".  Remium Nordic AB is the Company's Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Forward-Looking Information. This news release may contain forward-looking statements and information based on current expectations. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements. Such statements include but are not limited to, unexpected geological conditions; the Company's expectations regarding exploration activities to advance critical material projects for energy storage markets, delays in obtaining or failure to obtain necessary permits and approvals from government authorities.  Although such statements are based on management's reasonable assumptions, there are risk factors which could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein. All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law.

SOURCE Leading Edge Materials