Developing Norra Kärr:
Europe's Answer to Chinese Heavy Rare Earth Elements Dominance
Leading Edge Materials Corp. is a Canadian-listed company focused on developing critical raw material assets across the European Union. Its primary focus is the wholly owned Norra Kärr Heavy Rare Earth Element project in Sweden — one of the world's most strategically significant heavy rare earth deposits and among the few advanced-stage projects within the EU capable of producing dysprosium, terbium, and yttrium at meaningful scale.
LEADING EDGE MATERIALS GRANTED 25-YEAR MINING LEASE FOR NORRA KÄRR HEAVY RARE EARTH ELEMENTS PROJECT
June 28, 2026
June 10, 2026
NORRA KÄRR: EUROPE’S MOST ADVANCED HREE PROJECT
* See National Instrument 43-101 report titled “PRELIMINARY ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT OF NORRA KÄRR RARE EARTH DEPOSIT AND POTENTIAL BY-PRODUCTS, SWEDEN" prepared for Leading Edge Materials Corp. with effective date August 18, 2021 and issue date August 19, 2021. See Leading Edge Materials Corp.’s SEDAR profile on www.sedar.ca or www.leadingedgematerials.com for report and more information. The PEA is preliminary in nature, it includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the PEA will be realized.
NORRA KÄRR’S STRATEGIC SIGNIFICANCE
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Discovered the Norra Kärr deposit in the early 1900s.
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In 2011, designated it as being of National Interest due to the significance of its rare earth elements (REEs) for Sweden and Europe.
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With the respect to the Company's application for a mining lease, Geological Survey of Sweden (SGU) has stated that the deposit at Norra Kärr is very important for Sweden's and the EU's supply of rare earth metals, and that Norra Kärr is one of Europe's richest deposits for these minerals - especially with regards to heavy rare earth elements.
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“Sweden and the EU are dependent on rare earth metals from countries outside the EU, not least from China. A possible extraction of the deposit in Norra Kärr could meet a large part of Sweden's and the EU's supply needs…" Minister of Energy and the Economy Ebba Busch
NORRA KÄRR: SOLID FOUNDATION - EXTENSIVELY STUDIED
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15 years of continuous technical development since 2011
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30+ independent studies across metallurgy and environment — 19 metallurgical programmes, 21 environmental studies
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15 specialist suppliers, global expertise covering hydrogeology, radioactivity, magnetic separation, leaching and environmental impact assessment
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World-leading consultants engaged: SGS, Golder Associates, SRK, ANSTO and Wardell Armstrong
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PFS completed in 2015 for REE only
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Following redesign of the project, PEA completed in 2021 for REE and industrial minerals
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NORRA KÄRR: PEA 2021 vs. EDISON RESEARCH 2026
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One of Europe's richest deposits of HREEs - validated by the SGU.
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Could supply all of Europe's dysprosium needs as well as significant quantities of terbium and yttrium.
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Strategically important asset to Sweden and Europe critical to EU security of supply and defence.
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Additional Optional value with the 100% owned Woxna Graphite mine and processing plant, and Bihor Sud, a 90%-owned joint venture in Romania focused on cobalt, nickel, and polymetallic exploration.
LOOKING AHEAD
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Norra Kärr mining lease granted - significant derisking event.
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New pre-feasibility to be completed in 2026 will support finance discussions.
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Ongoing discussions with downstream players and potential offtakers.
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Possibility for strategic partnerships.
PRODUCING WITHIN 4 YEARS
EUROPEAN FOCUS
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Europe’s most significant Heavy Rare Earth Element (HREE) deposit: Norra Kärr sits in one of the best EU mining jurisdictions, making it a potential solution to European security of supply for permanent magnet manufacturing.
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Exceptionally weighted to the most strategically valuable HREEs: dysprosium, terbium and yttrium.
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Could supply all of Europe's dysprosium needs:
Edison* estimates current European demand at around 180–200tpa. PEA 2021 estimates annual dysprosium oxide output of 248tpa. -
Directly aligned with binding EU policy targets:
EU's Critical Raw Materials Act sets 2030 target of sourcing 10% of annual consumption from EU extraction — yet Europe has no producing rare earths mines.
EUROPE'S GROWING NEED FOR CRITICAL MATERIALS
The European Union has identified specific raw materials as critical based on their economic importance and supply risk. These materials are fundamental to technologies driving the green transition, including:
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Lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage
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Permanent magnets for electric motors and wind power generation
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Advanced electronics and digital technologies
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Defense and aerospace applications
Leading Edge Materials is focused exclusively on developing European sources of these essential materials, helping to reduce dependency on imports and strengthen supply chain security.
QUALITY STRATEGIC PROJECTS
The Norra Kärr project represents one of the world's most significant heavy rare earth deposits, enriched with Dysprosium and Terbium - critical elements for permanent magnets in EVs and wind turbines.
Our Woxna Graphite Mine is one of the only fully-built, permitted graphite mines in the Western world. This significantly de-risked asset offers:
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a rapid, low-capex route to production and cash flow,
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existing infrastructure and permits significantly reducing time-to-market and capital requirements.
Our Bihor-Sud Nickel-Cobalt venture offers exciting exploration upside for high-grade nickel and cobalt – essential battery metals facing growing demand
GROWING DEMAND / SUPPLY-CONSTRAINED MARKET
Graphite: European battery-grade graphite demand is set to surge more than 6x by 2030 to over 500,000 tonnes annually. With 98% currently imported, our Woxna project directly addresses this critical supply vulnerability.
Rare Earth Elements: Demand for rare earth magnets is growing 10-15% annually. Our Norra Kärr deposit is uniquely rich in Dysprosium and Terbium—essential for EVs and wind turbines—with zero current European production.
Battery Metals: Europe's rapidly expanding battery manufacturing requires secure nickel and cobalt supplies. Our Romanian project targets these materials within EU borders, filling a critical gap in Europe's battery ecosystem.
OUR PROJECTS
NORRA KÄRR HREE
sweden
100% Ownership
EUROPE'S PREMIER HEAVY RARE EARTH RESOURCE
Norra Kärr is the most advanced heavy rare earth elements project in Europe and a world-class deposit, uniquely enriched with dysprosium and terbium, critically important to the region’s permanent magnet supply chain. In Sweden, Norra Kärr is listed as a mineral deposit of national interest by The Geological Survey of Sweden linked to its potential for to supply rare earth elements to Sweden and Europe. The European Rare Earths Competency Network (ERECON) reported in 2014 that Norra Kärr had the potential to contribute to Europe’s security of supply of REEs for ‘decades to come’. The redesigned project, reflected in the new mining lease application, prioritizes environmental stewardship—ensuring the protection of natural values and access to clean water—while proposing a sustainable mining operation that will supply critical heavy rare earth elements and valuable industrial minerals.
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Location and Significance: Norra Kärr, in southern Sweden, is a major European deposit of heavy rare earth elements, particularly Dysprosium and Terbium, crucial for electric vehicles and wind turbines.
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Strategic Importance: Recognized by the European Parliament as a strategically important project, Norra Kärr aims to reduce Europe’s reliance on imported rare earth elements.
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Environmental Considerations: The project prioritizes environmental responsibility with reduced land usage, water conservation, and plans for efficient material processing.
sweden
100% Ownership
Europe's Production-Ready Graphite Resource
Woxna Graphite in central Sweden represents one of the few fully built and permitted graphite mines in the region, positioning Leading Edge Materials with a rare production-ready asset in Europe's critical raw materials landscape. The Woxna processing plant can produce 10,000 tonnes of high-quality flake graphite concentrate annually, with carbon content up to 94%. The Company is collaborating with an engineering consultant on updating the in-house production restart study, originally completed in 2022, in response to consumers seeking to secure ex-China supply.
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Project Significance: One of the few fully-built, permitted graphite facilities in the Western world, strategically located in Europe.
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Production Capacity: 10,000 tonnes of high-quality flake graphite concentrate annually, with carbon content of 94-97%.
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Market Application: Serves both traditional industrial markets and Europe’s fast-growing battery sector.
BIHOR SUD NICKEL-COBALT EXPLORATION
romania
51% current ownership with defined pathway to 90% based on development milestones
DISCOVERING CRITICAL BATTERY METALS IN THE E.U.
Leading Edge Materials' Romanian exploration initiative represents a strategic venture to discover high-grade nickel, cobalt, and polymetallic resources within the prolific Tethyan Belt, a geological formation known for significant mineral deposits throughout southeastern Europe. Structured as a joint venture with staged ownership increases from 51% to potentially 90%, this brownfield project provides exposure to battery metals crucial for Europe's rapidly expanding EV and energy storage sectors.
Leading Edge Materials’ Romanian exploration initiative targets high-grade nickel and cobalt resources in the Tethyan Belt. The project, a joint venture with staged ownership increases, aims to discover an ethical European source of battery metals for the EV and energy storage sectors.
PARTNERSHIPS
Leading Edge Materials actively participates in European industrial alliances and industry organizations to strengthen our position in developing strategic supply chains. These strategic partnerships enhance our market position, technological development, and alignment with European industrial policy objectives.
