VANCOUVER, BC, June 30, 2020 /CNW/ - Leading Edge
Materials Corp. ("Leading Edge Materials" or
the "Company") (TSXV: LEM) (Nasdaq First
North: LEMSE) (OTCQB: LEMIF) announces the participation
of its subsidiary Woxna Graphite AB in the newly launched research
project "Graphite and graphene as battery electrodes" (the
"Project") which is part of the Vinnova funded competence centre
Batteries Sweden ("BASE").
The Project will research the utilization of natural graphite
for battery applications through determination of functionality of
the natural graphite in batteries, the addition of silicon to the
graphite particles, long-term stability and characterization and
optimization of the surface chemistry. The latter will look at
innovative technologies for tailoring of the surface chemistry by
for example surface coatings, covalent functionalization and
artificial Solid Electrolyte Interphases.
BASE was created as an alliance for ultrahigh performance
batteries with a long-term vision to address the energy storage
challenges associated with the transition to a fossil-free society
by developing new types of lightweight, inexpensive, sustainable
and safe ultra-high-energy storage batteries. The competence
centre, coordinated by the Ångström Laboratory and the renowned
battery scientist Professor Kristina
Edström at Uppsala University,
was granted SEK 34,000,000 in funding
by the Swedish governmental innovation agency Vinnova. The partners
of BASE are leading Swedish academic institutions and industrial
companies spanning the battery value chain; Uppsala University, Chalmers University of
Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, RISE Research
Institutes of Sweden, ABB, Volvo,
Altris, Comsol, Graphmatech, Insplorion, Northvolt, SAFT, Scania,
Stena Recycling, Volvo Cars and Woxna Graphite.
(https://www.batteriessweden.se/)
Filip Kozlowski, CEO states
"Being part of this project is a great opportunity for Woxna
Graphite to contribute to the long-term vision of the Batteries
Sweden alliance. Being able to supply natural graphite from
Sweden could enable sustainable
high-performance battery materials of the future. One of the focus
areas, surface modification of spherical purified natural graphite
is a key area of innovation to enable improved performance and
cycle life for lithium-ion battery anodes."
Woxna Graphite AB is the owner of one of the western world's few
permitted and fully built graphite mines, located in central
Sweden near the town of Edsbyn.
The Woxna graphite mine and production facility is comprised of
four graphite deposits each with a mining lease, an open pit mine,
a processing plant and tailings dam, located close to the town of
Edsbyn, Sweden. Due to market conditions for traditional
graphite markets the operation has been kept on a production-ready
basis. Ongoing development is directed towards test work focused on
the possible production and modification of high purity graphite
using thermal purification technologies for emerging high growth
high value markets, one such example being the lithium-ion battery
industry. Other potential high-value end-markets being
investigated are purified micronized graphite for metallurgical and
electroconductive additives and purified large flake graphite as a
precursor for the production of expandable graphite suitable as a
feed for graphite foils and fuel cell bipolar plates. The
purification and modification of natural graphite is very energy
intensive and having access to low cost low carbon footprint
hydropower offers the potential to become a market leader in terms
of sustainability.
On behalf of the Board of Directors,
Leading Edge
Materials Corp.
Filip Kozlowski, CEO
About Leading Edge Materials
Leading Edge Materials is a Canadian public company focused on
developing a portfolio of critical raw material projects located in
the European Union. Critical raw materials are determined as such
by the European Union based on their economic importance and supply
risk. They are directly linked to high growth technologies such as
lithium-ion batteries and permanent magnets for electric motors and
wind power that underpin the sustainability transition of society.
The portfolio of projects includes the 100% owned Woxna Graphite
mine (Sweden), Norra Kärr HREE
project (Sweden), Bergby lithium
project (Sweden) and the 51% owned
Bihor Sud Nickel Cobalt exploration alliance (Romania).
Additional Information
The Company's consolidated financial statements and related
management's discussion and analysis are available on the Company's
website at www.leadingedgematerials.com or under its profile
on SEDAR at www.sedar.com
The information was submitted for publication through the agency
of the contact person set out above, on June
30, 2020 at 9:15 am
Vancouver time.
Leading Edge Materials is listed on the TSXV under the symbol
"LEM", OTCQB under the symbol "LEMIF" and Nasdaq First North
Stockholm under the symbol "LEMSE". Mangold Fondkommission AB
is the Company's Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North and may be
contacted via email CA@mangold.se or by phone +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.
Woxna has never defined a mineral reserve and the previous
preliminary economic assessment on Woxna dated October 29, 2013, has been superseded by the
Company's current technical report dated May
11, 2015. As the Woxna facility is not in production but
remains on a production ready status, any future decision to
recommence mining at Woxna will not be based on a preliminary
economic assessment demonstrating the potential viability of
mineral resources or feasibility study of mineral reserves
demonstrating economic and technical viability. Under these
circumstances, there is increased risk of technical and economic
failure for the Woxna project, and the Company discloses additional
risk factors relating thereto. The Company advises that it has not
based its production decision on a feasibility study of mineral
reserves, demonstrating economic and technical viability, and, as a
result, there may be an increased uncertainty of achieving any
particular level of recovery of minerals or the cost of such
recovery, including increased risks associated with developing a
commercially mineable deposit. Historically, such projects have a
much higher risk of economic and technical failure. There is no
guarantee that production will begin as anticipated or at all or
that anticipated production costs will be achieved. Failure to
commence production would have a material adverse impact on the
Company's ability to generate revenue and cash flow to fund
operations. Failure to achieve any anticipated production costs
would have a material adverse impact on the Company's cash flow and
future profitability. Mineral resources that are not mineral
reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.
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.
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SOURCE Leading Edge Materials