Leading Edge Materials is advancing a portfolio of European battery raw material projects including the fully built and permitted Woxna graphite mine in Sweden ("Woxna"), the Bihor Sud cobalt-copper-nickel project in Romania, and the Norra Kärr heavy rare earth element-zirconium-hafnium deposit, of which are all high merit projects within the European raw material sector.

As a first step, the Strategic Review highlighted that the Company's combination of discovery-stage and development-stage assets may present different requirements with regard to operational structure, capital needs and investor preferences.

The Board has resolved that the next stage of the Strategic Review will identify and compare opportunities for the Woxna graphite mine. Potential recommendations from this stage of the Strategic Review may include a transition to a freestanding European company, and will consider direct third-party investment into Woxna, horizontal or vertical joint-venture of with aligned parties, or a standalone public listing of Woxna on a Swedish exchange.

The Board emphasizes that any recommendation is predicated on Leading Edge Materials continuing to hold significant exposure to the success of the Woxna graphite mine as a future anode supplier, while enabling the Company to allocate resources to progress discovery at other projects within the portfolio and therefore maximize value for shareholders.

•  A fully constructed mine, with all operating equipment, infrastructure and waste management in place to produce 10,000 tonnes of flake graphite per year with operating permits until 2041;
•  Substantial sunk capital such that further capital investments to achieve commercial volume of high purity anode production are forecast to be relatively modest;
•  Potential to be a first mover in the supply of European sustainably-sourced ultra-high purity natural graphite anode for lithium ion batteries. Recent research (see press release dated 18th January 2019) undertaken by the Company has provided the data required for installation of a purification and spheronisation demonstration plant on the Woxna mine site; and
•  The opportunity for Woxna graphite to be use as a feed material for graphene production, and as a supplier to other high value applications.

The Board restates that there is no fixed timeline for the Strategic Review and that the Company will disclose developments with respect to the review process if a potential transaction is identified and/or further disclosure is required. The Board cautions that there is no assurance or guarantee that any potential transaction identified by the Strategic Review will be pursued.

Mr. Mark Saxon, Interim CEO Company stated, "The Woxna graphite mine is a unique project in the sector, with the capacity to be both a near-term and long-term supplier of European natural graphite anode, and other high value graphite products including graphene, to European customers. Woxna has consistently attracted significant interest, with a high European industrial awareness of potential products and regular inquiries around current status. The Strategy Review is seeking mechanisms to accelerate the transition of the mine from the production of flotation concentrate only, to the production of high-purity anode, which should be beneficial to both Leading Edge Material shareholders and emerging European lithium ion battery customers."

On behalf of the Board of Directors, Leading Edge Materials Corp. 
Mr. Mark Saxon, Interim CEO

Additional Information

This information is inside information that Leading Edge Materials Corp. (publ). is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication through the agency of the contact person set out above, at 4th March 2019 at 1:00 PM Vancouver time. 

Leading Edge Materials is listed on the TSXV under the symbol "LEM" and Nasdaq First North Stockholm under the symbol "LEMSE". Mangold Fondkommission AB is the Company's CA on Nasdaq First North and may be contacted at +46 (0) 8 5030 1550.

Reader Advisory

This news release may contain statements which constitute "forward-looking information", including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company, its directors, or its officers with respect to the future business activities of the Company. The words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future business activities and involve risks and uncertainties, and that the Company's future business activities may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, fluctuations in market prices, successes of the operations of the Company, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such information will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking information except as required under the applicable securities laws. 

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LeadingEdge 0304 (https://mb.cision.com/Public/16533/2756301/af2549c2a4f90fcc.pdf)