Heavy Rare Earth Global Crisis Spotlights Norra Kärr IN Sweden
NEWS RELEASE November 30, 2025
LEADING EDGE MATERIALS CORP.
14th Floor 1040 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC, V6E 4H1
[email protected] | www.leadingedgematerials.com
TSX.V: LEM | Nasdaq First North: LEMSE | OTCQB: LEMIF | FRA: 7FL
HEAVY RARE EARTH GLOBAL CRISIS SPOTLIGHTS NORRA KÄRR IN SWEDEN
Vancouver, November 30, 2025 – Leading Edge Materials Corp. (“Leading Edge Materials” or the
“Company”) (TSXV: LEM) (Nasdaq First North: LEMSE) (OTCQB: LEMIF) (FRA: 7FL) provides a progress
update on the Norra Kärr Heavy Rare Earth Elements Project (“HREE”) being developed by the
Company’s wholly-owned Swedish subsidiary Greenna Mineral AB.
Heavy Rare Earths Crisis
The drastic shortage of heavy rare earth elements - particularly Dysprosium and Terbium – was
highlighted in a Reuters article titled ‘West scrambles to fill heavy rare earth gap as China rivalry
deepens’, published on 19 November (https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/west-
scrambles-fill-heavy-rare-earth-gap-china-rivalry-deepens-2025-11-19/).
The article underscored the critical supply chain vulnerability that Europe has failed to address for
more than a decade, and this message was strengthened by comments from the CEO of
Vaccumschmelze, Europe’s principal manufacturer of permanent magnets, when he spoke at Raw
Materials Week in Brussels.
The urgency is not new. In 2014, the European Rare Earths Competency Network (ERECON) warned
that "the development of new sources of heavy rare earths outside of China and greater recycling
must remain an urgent priority for Europe."
Their report on strengthening the European rare earths supply chain specifically identified Norra
Kärr as one of two "best known" advanced-stage REE projects in Europe that could secure European
supply for decades. Back in 2014, they projected that, with permitting and adequate funding, mining
could begin before 2020. These factors still challenge European projects more than a decade later.
Norra Kärr’s Strategic Positioning
When it comes to Norra Kärr, the deposit’s strategic importance to Europe has never b een clearer.
The Swedish Geological Survey (“SGU”) discovered Norra Kärr in the 1900s and, in 2011, designated
it as being of National Interest due to the significance of its rare earth elements (“REEs”) for Sweden
and Europe.
More recently, with the respect to the Company’s application for a mining lease , SGU in its capacity
as an expert authority for issues relating to geology and minerals in Sweden 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 regard to
heavy rare earth elements.
Norra Kärr is estimated to produce 248 tonnes of Dysprosium and 36 tonnes of Terbium oxides
annually over an initial 26-year mine life - covering only 30% of the currently defined resource, which
remains open for expansion. As a comparison, on 25 October, Australian company Lynas Rare Earths
(“Lynas”) announced plans for an expanded heavy rare earths separation facility in Malaysia , with
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nameplate capacity of 250 tonnes of Dysprosium and 50 t onnes of Terbium oxides
(https://wcsecure.weblink.com.au/pdf/LYC/03015215.pdf).
Lynas, along with MP Materials (“MP”) are the most significant players in the rare earths market
outside of China. Lynas is expected to be a beneficiary of the USD 8.5 billion U.S.-Australia Rare Earth
Deal signed on 20 October 2025 and has already benefited from Australian Government grant
funding in recent years. The U.S. Government has invested in MP, becoming the company’s largest
shareholder through the purchase of USD 400 million in preferred stock in July this year and the
Department of War has extended a USD 150 million loan to support the expansion of MP’s rare
earth separation capabilities. These public market-making instruments from governments directly
supporting their critical mineral strategies have unlocked private capital, includ ing USD 1 billion in
commercial debt from JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs.
Mining Lease Application
The Company anticipates that a decision from the Mining Inspectorate will be forthcoming in the
near future . Supplementary information to the Company’s application for an Exploitation
Concession – 25-year mining lease (Sw. Bearbetningskoncession) - for Norra Kärr was submitted in
September and circulated by the Mining Inspectorate (Sw. Bergsstaten) to the County Administrative
Boards (“CABs”) of Jönköping and Östergötland for further review in October.
Pre-Feasibility Study (“PFS”) Workstreams
A programme of testwork is continuing with SGS Lakefield in Canada focused on mineral processing,
comminution, magnetic separation and mineral liberation; activities to take place at Norra Kärr. The
work is intended to produce higher grade concentrates of eudialyte , containing the HREEs, for
further hydrometallurgy testwork, and nepheline syenite for analysis and possibly further treatment
to produce prospective customer samples. Separately, a marketing assessment is being completed
for nepheline syenite.
SRK’s Qualified Person has conducted a site visit at Norra Kärr , inspected outcrop on site and some
of the the drill core in archive. A work programme is underway with the objective of upgrading the
Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate (“MRE”) effective date 18 August 2021. The Inferred classification
was determined because, at the time, only preliminary work had been completed on the potential
of industrial minerals production. However, in respect of the REEs, a Probable Mineral Reserve
totaling 23.5 Mt at 0.59% Total Rare Earth Oxides (“TREO”) was reported in the NI 43 -101 - Technical
report effective date 13 January 2015. This MRE forms the basis of the current mine plan.
Stakeholder Engagement
Greenna Mineral has opened a Project Café in central Gränna. The café serves as a meeting place
where the local community and stakeholders can see company representatives, ask questions, and
receive information about the Norra Kärr project.
With sustainability at the heart, the Greenna Mineral team is enthusiastic to explain the new
project design, especially the 65% reduction in Norra Kärr’s operational footprint, thanks to the
elimination of chemical processing from site which eliminates any perceived threat to Lake
Vättern. Activities now focus on mineral extraction and processing, which in nature are similar to
that of a quarry; reduced complexity means limited environmental impact and increased
commercial potential, as Greenna Mineral seeks to become a heavy rare earth elements and
industrial minerals producer.
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The Project Café is intended to promote transparency and open dialogue regarding the continuous
development of Norra Kärr. Dates and opening hours will be available shortly.
Kurt Budge CEO comments:
“The stakes have never been clearer. This Autumn brought crucial conversations across Europe—
from Kokkola Material Week to Raw Materials Week in Brussels and SveMin's Autumn Summit in
Stockholm. The message was unmistakable: geopolitics isn't just shaping the critical raw materials
agenda—it's defining it. Military tensions, economic warfare, and cyber threats are real drivers
behind Europe's urgent push for increased rare earth supply chain independence.
The supply of primary heavy rare earth elements —the lifeblood of permanent magnet
manufacturing—is desperate. Yet the same barriers persist , with permitting paralysis and capital
constraints continuing to impede the progress that’s needed to build resilience in Europe.
Norra Kärr’s significance has never been more self-evident when you compare it to Lynas' nameplate
capacity for Dysprosium and Terbium oxides production in Malaysia. If Europe is serious about
regional heavy rare earth production, then putting Norra Kärr into production isn't optiona l, it is
essential.”
On behalf of the Board of Directors,
Leading Edge Materials Corp.
Kurt Budge, CEO
For further information, please contact the Company at:
www.leadingedgematerials.com
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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, wind turbines and defense applications. The portfolio of projects includes the 100% owned
Woxna Graphite mine (Sweden), 100% owned Norra Kärr H eavy Rare Earth Elements project
(Sweden), and the 51% owned Bihor Sud Nickel Cobalt exploration alliance (Romania).
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Additional Information
The information was submitted for publication through the agency of the contact person set out
above, on November 30, 2025, at 11:30 PM 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”. Svensk
Kapitalmarknadsgranskning (“SKMG”) is the Company’s Certified Adviser for the Nasdaq First North
Growth Market (Stockholm) and may be contacted via email [email protected] or by phone +46 (0)8 913
008.
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