Leading Edge Materials Intersects High Tantalum and Lithium Grades at Bergby, Sweden

Vancouver, Canada – Leading Edge Materials Corp. (“Leading Edge Materials”) or (“the Company”) (TSXV:LEM) (OTCQB: LEMIF) is pleased to report the final set of results from the second program of drilling completed at the Company’s 100% owned Bergby lithium project in Sweden. Drilling intersected regular high lithium grades, and was notable for significantly increased tantalum grades in comparison to prior drill holes.

Key Results:

  • BBY17025 intersected 5.1m @ 361ppm Ta2OM5 (tantalum oxide) from 25.1m depth
  • BBY17026 intersected 2.8m @ 297ppm Ta2OM5 from 49.2m depth
  • BBY17030 intersected 5.4m @ 1.60% Li2O, 155ppm Ta2OM5 from 25.0m depth
  • BBY17031 intersected 4.5m @ 1.31% Li2O, 164ppm Ta2OM5 from 71.5m depth
  • BBY17033 intersected 3.0m @ 1.33% Li2O, from 52.8m depth

Holes BBY17025 to BBY17029 were drilled along the strike of the pegmatite to the north of previous drilling, up to 800m from the discovery zone (hole BBY17029). Where pegmatite was intersected in this northern area, it was notable for a lower lithium grade and a significant increase in the tantalum grade, suggesting a different style of LCT pegmatite (lithium-cesium-tantalum) was intersected. Pegmatite was not intersected in holes BBY17027 to BBY17029, which may indicate a steeper dip than anticipated from nearby lithium mineralized outcrop.

Holes BBY1030 to BBY17033 tested down dip from prior drilling, and all except for BBY17032 intersected high grades of lithium mineralization consistent with previous intersections. Mineralization remains open in a down dip direction over at least 600m of strike.

Bergby has now been tested by a total of 1525m of drilling in 33 drillholes to a maximum depth of 131.1m over an approximate 1500m strike length. Drillhole locations and results are provided in Tables 1 and 2 and presented as Figure 1. The true thickness of mineralized intervals is interpreted to be approximately 90% of the sampled thickness.

Blair Way, President and CEO, stated “These final results from the second program of drilling at Bergby have again delivered the strong encouragement of high lithium and tantalum grades over more than 1km of strike. The grade variation is typical of LCT pegmatite fields, and has highlighted that there may be much more to find under the thin glacial soil cover. Bergby remains a new lithium discovery at a very shallow depth, and we are now preparing a sample for metallurgical testwork to further advance the project.”

Bergby lies in central Sweden, 25km north of the town of Gävle, secured by three exploration licenses that cover a total of 1,903 Ha. The site is close to infrastructure, with major roads, rail and power supply passing immediately adjacent to the claim boundaries.  The potential for low cost and rapid development is significantly enhanced by the presence of a deep-water port only 5km from the site.

The qualified person for the Company’s exploration projects, Mark Saxon, Director of Leading Edge Materials, a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy has reviewed and verified the contents of this release.

On behalf of the Board,

“Blair Way
Blair Way, President & CEO

For further information, contact: 1.604.685.9316 or
info@leadingedgematerials.com

www.leadingedgematerials.com

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.

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.

This is information that Leading Edge Materials Corp. 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, on January 10, 2018, at 5:25 am Vancouver time.

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, the Company’s expectations regarding metallurgical testing at Bergby; 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.

Table 1: Drill collars locations and orientations, Bergby Project.

Hole_ID Easting SWEREF Northing SWEREF Elevation RH2000 Azimuth Dip Length
PHASE 2 –
CORE DIAMETER
56 mm
BBY17019 612770 6760466 35 115 60 44.55m
BBY17020 612729 6760375 35 115 61 47.20m
BBY17021 612668 6760292 35 115 54 40.63m
BBY17022 612581 6760387 35 115 50 131.10m
BBY17023 612638 6760472 35 115 45 113.25m
BBY17024 612769 6760665 35 115 46 77.30m
BBY17025 612951 6760884 35 115 52 37.30m
BBY17026 613014 6761014 35 115 52 62.52m
BBY17027 613074 6761154 35 115 50 60.00m
BBY17028 613136 6761290 35 115 50 50.35m
BBY17029 613210 6761443 35 115 50 50.35m
BBY17030 612845 6760650 35 115 61 41.45m
BBY17031 612712 6760649 35 115 46 86.20m
BBY17032 612712 6760649 35 115 82 80.62m
BBY17033 612664 6760416 35 115 46 68.20m
PHASE 1 –
CORE
DIAMETER
39 mm
BBY17001 612902 6760564 35 295 45 54.80m
BBY17002 612881 6760582 35 0 90 14.80m
BBY17003 612872 6760590 35 0 90 16.45m
BBY17004 612864 6760597 35 0 90 17.90m
BBY17005 612877 6760609 35 0 90 17.95m
BBY17006 612866 6760613 35 0 90 27.00m
BBY17007 612886 6760604 35 0 90 12.00m
BBY17008 612886 6760627 35 0 90 14.75m
BBY17009 612874 6760697 37 115 60 50.20m
BBY17010 612818 6760609 35 115 60 50.30m
BBY17011 612864 6760563 35 0 90 14.40m
BBY17012 612875 6760555 35 0 90 11.35m
BBY17013 612877 6760518 35 255 75 17.40m
BBY17014 612787 6760513 35 115 45 40.80m
BBY17015 612756 6760417 35 115 50 50.00m
BBY17016 612700 6760333 35 115 60 44.30m
BBY17017 612679 6760219 35 115 70 29.30m
BBY17018 612604 6760114 35 115 50 50.20m

Table 2: Mineralized intervals from Bergby Project

Hole Number FROM (m) TO (m) WIDTH (m) Li2O% Ta2OM5 ppm
PHASE 2 BBY17019 21.05 33.66 12.61 0.83 47
BBY17020 13.55 33.00 19.45 1.12 184
BBY17021 15.38 16.38 1.00 0.96 1
BBY17022 No significant mineralization
BBY17023 57.1 65.25 8.20 0.14 13
BBY17024 56.10 64.16 8.06 0.27 88
BBY17025 20.00 25.07 5.07 0.00 362
BBY17026 49.20 52.00 2.80 0.02 297
BBY17027 No significant mineralization
BBY17028 No significant mineralization
BBY17029 No significant mineralization
BBY17030 25.00 30.43 5.43 1.60 155
BBY17031 71.50 76.00 4.50 1.31 165
BBY17032 68.00 71.34 3.34 0.09 267
BBY17033 52.80 55.80 3.00 1.33 68
PHASE 1 BBY17001 4.85 6.30 1.45 0.77 31
BBY17002 0.00 3.95 3.95 1.83 163
BBY17003 2.85 11.05 8.20 2.06 118
BBY17004 10.20 12.10 1.90 2.26 74
BBY17005 2.20 12.65 10.45 1.58 107
BBY17006 11.55 16.00 4.45 1.44 50
BBY17007 1.40 6.05 4.65 2.71 315
BBY17008 1.10 9.85 8.75 2.63 186
BBY17009 14.80 16.00 1.20 2.68 12
BBY17009 24.55 25.65 1.10 2.44 49
BBY17010 27.55 36.35 8.80 1.11 98
BBY17011 0.70 7.50 6.8 1.87 191
BBY17012 2.25 3.90 1.65 1.14 25
BBY17013 8.00 9.05 1.05 0.68 8
BBY17014 18.80 25.25 6.45 0.63 48
BBY17015 15.75 32.10 16.35 1.00 129
BBY17016 17.90 36.75 18.80 1.14 101
BBY17017 12.25 13.50 1.25 0.59 2
BBY17018 No significant mineralization

Figure 1: Location of Drilling and Interpreted Trend of Lithium-Bearing Pegmatite, Bergby Project. Grid presented in SWEREF coordinate system