Leading Edge Materials Appeals Norra Karr Mining Lease Application Rejection to the Government of Sweden
NEWS RELEASE June 17, 2021
LEADING EDGE MATERIALS CORP.
1305 – 1090 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC, V6E 3V7
[email protected] | www.leadingedgematerials.com
TSX.V: LEM | Nasdaq First North: LEMSE | OTCQB: LEMIF
TSX.V: LEM | Nasdaq First North: LEMSE | OTCQB: LEMIF
LEADING EDGE MATERIALS APPEALS NORRA KARR MINING LEASE
APPLICATION REJECTION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF SWEDEN
Vancouver, June 17, 2021 – Leading Edge Materials Corp. (“Leading Edge Materials” or the
“Company”) (TSXV: LEM) (Nasdaq First North: LEMSE) (OTCQB: LEMIF) announces that it has
submitted its full appeal to the Government of Sweden (the “Government”) against the rejection of
its mining lease application for the Norra Karr REE project (the “Project”).
As previously announced, on May 5th the Mining Inspectorate of Sweden ("Bergsstaten") rejected the
mining lease application Norra Karr K nr1 with the motivation that since the Company had not
acquired a Natura 2000 permit for the Project, they were not able to rule on the mining lease
application. Bergsstaten in its rejection further relied on the fact that the Government had ruled in
a similar matter in December 2020 regarding Boliden’s mining lease application for its Laver project.
However, in January 2021 Boliden appealed the Government’s decision to the Supreme
Administrative Court of Sweden (the “SAC”) where the outcome is still pending.
Leading Edge Materials is therefore appealing to the Government to cancel Bergsstaten’s rejection
of the mining lease application and continue the evaluation of the application once the SAC has ruled
whether a Natura 2000 permit should be a pre-condition for the granting of a mining lease or not.
The Company wishes to point out that recently a majority of the Swedish parliament voted through
a statement to the Government asking for a proposal for legislative change so that a Natura 2000
permit should not be required prior to the granting of a mining lease.
Filip Kozlowski, CEO of Leading Edge Materials states "As the Swedish mining industry is trying to
navigate the uncertain procedural matters dominating permitting of important mining projects in Sweden,
the green transition is accelerating in an unstoppable way and with it the demand for more secure and
sustainable raw materials. We have a solution in Norra Karr which we are further improving through a
revised design and the upcoming Preliminary Economic Assessment report, and we will always continue
to do our utmost to make this project a reality for the benefit of European industrial ecosystems and our
shareholders. "
The Project is owned by the Company’s Swedish subsidiary which recently changed name from
Tasman Metals AB to GREENNA Mineral AB to better reflect the nature of the Company developing
the project and its Swedish dominated management and board of directors.
The Company continues to hold secure tenure over the Norra Karr project through the exploration
license Norra Karr nr1 which last year was granted an extension until August 2024, and subsequently
granted an additional year of extension until August 2025 due to a law change mitigating the effects
of Covid-19. The exploration license was later appealed, and the administrative court of Lulea
rejected the appeal earlier this year, upon which the case has been appealed to the next instance
which is pending decision to grant leave of appeal. The extension of the exploration license remains
in force until a final ruling in the case has been made, and remains in force until a final ruling has
been made on the mining lease application.
The mining lease Norra Karr K nr1 was granted by Bergsstaten in 2013 and in 2014 the Government
upheld the granting after an appeal against it. The Government's decision was subsequently
appealed to the SAC which in 2016 ruled to repeal the Government's decision at which point the
Government handed back the mining lease application to Bergsstaten for renewed evaluation. In
2019 the County Administrative Board of Ostergotland (the "CAB") submitted an opinion to
Bergsstaten that a Natura 2000 permit would be required prior to the mining lease.
The Company wishes to stress that the design of the Project currently being contemplated under
the denied mining lease application goes back to before 2013. Based on above stated events, further
consultation processes with Bergsstaten, the CAB and other stakeholders the Company has since
initiated work to redesign the Project with a focus on maximizing resource efficiency and minimizing
possible environmental impacts at the local site of the Project. This work in its final stages will be
presented by means of the upcoming Preliminary Economic Assessment report and will lead to a
revised design of the Project to be evaluated towards a mining lease and any other required permits.
On behalf of the Board of Directors,
Leading Edge Materials Corp.
Filip Kozlowski, CEO
For further information, please contact the Company at:
www.leadingedgematerials.com
Follow us
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeadingEdgeMtls
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leading-edge-materials-corp/
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 batteries for electromobility and energy storage and permanent
magnets for electric motors and wind power that underpin the clean energy transition towards
climate neutrality. The portfolio of projects includes the 100% owned Woxna Graphite mine
(Sweden), Norra Kärr HREE project (Sweden) and the 51% owned Bihor Sud Nickel Cobalt exploration
alliance (Romania).
Additional Information
The information was submitted for publication through the agency of the contact person set out
above, on June 17, 2021 at 1:15 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". Mangold Fondkommission
AB is the Company’s Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North and may be contacted via email
[email protected] or by phone +46 (0) 8 5030 1550.
Reader Advisory
This news release may contain statements which constitute “forward-looking information” under
applicable Canadian securities laws, including statements regarding the potential success of an appeal
against the decision of Bergsstaten against the mining lease application, the ability to redesign the Project
in a manner that satisfies Bergsstaten, the CAB and other stakeholders, the outcome of the appeal process
relating to the exploration license extension, as well as 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 information. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking information is not a
guarantee of future business activities and involves risks and uncertainties, and that the Company’s future
business activities may differ materially from those in the forward-looking information as a result of
various factors, including, but not limited to, success of the appeals process, 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.
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.