Leading Edge Materials’ Norra Kärr HREE Project Moves Forward
NEWS RELEASE March 23, 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
LEADING EDGE MATERIALS’ NORRA KÄRR HREE PROJECT MOVES FORWARD
Vancouver, March 23, 2025 – Leading Edge Materials Corp. (“Leading Edge Materials ” or the
“Company”) (TSXV: LEM) (Nasdaq First North: LEMSE) (OTCQB: LEMIF) provides an update for the 100%
owned Norra Kärr Heavy Rare Earth Elements (“HREE”) Project.
• The Company continues to advance its Rapid Development Plan (“RDP”) for extraction at Norra Kärr,
aiming to achieve the shortest possible timeframe to production of heavy rare earth element
concentrate and nepheline syenite. A phased development approach is under consideration —
starting small and quickly —to enable early access to the deposit, initial production and sales of
nepheline syenite, cash flow generation, and stockpiling of HREE concentrate for later processing
and sales. This approach minimizes both risk and environmental impact.
• On March 19, the European Commission (“EC”) published its Joint White Paper for European Defence
Readiness 2023, highlighting the increasing geopolitical competition over critical raw materials
(“CRMs”). The document states: “The EU’s strategic competitors are heavily investing… [in] security
of supply of critical raw materials, fundamental for our economic and industrial production, defence
capabilities, and competitiveness. They are increasingly a cause for competition and c onflicts and
part of power politics, as excessive dependencies can be exploited.” It also underscores the need for
the EU and its member states to build strategi c reserves of raw materials. The Rapid Development
Plan for Norra Kärr aligns closely with th is mission and the Company could progress directly to a
Feasibility Study for the quarrying operation, and undertake environmental and other workstreams
in parallel, to expedite the timeline to production and thereby contribute to the EU’s 2030 objectives
for CRMs security of supply.
• Testwork is underway on nepheline syenite and aegirine to assess their mineralogy, chemical
composition, and leachate chemistry. The results will help evaluate market opportunities for these
potential products, including demand and pricing scenarios.
• The Preliminary Economic Assessment ( “PEA2021”) financial model will be updated in Q2 2025,
incorporating revised price assumptions for nepheline syenite and a full review of all other modelling
inputs. In the PEA2021 , three nepheline syenite markets were selected, those requiring the least
amount of additional processing and product qualification, with pricing ranging from US$12-65 per
tonne. These assumptions were conservative, and the Company is now investigating highe r value
markets such as functional filler products with comparable prices at the ti me of US$100 -500 per
tonne. In the PEA2021, nepheline syenite contributed 11% of the total revenue and there is the
potential for significant upside in pricing and revenue contribution to the overall project economics.
• A decision on the Company’s application for Strategic Project status under the Critical Raw Materials
Act (CRMA) is expected soon. Since submitting the application in August 2024, the Company has
made tangible progress with Norra Kärr, including the significant milestone of submitting a new
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application for an Exploitation Concession (Bearbetningskoncession)—a 25-year mining lease—and
continues to explore creative pathways to early and sustainable production.
Kurt Budge, Chief Executive Officer, writes:
“Stockpiling rare earth elements has become a recurring theme in Europe, and now the EC’s White Paper
underscores the urgency of building strategic reserves of raw materials.
Norra Kärr is already a stockpile of rare earth elements—right in the ground. But with nepheline syenite
as a commercial product to finance a quarrying operation, we have a path way to providing access to
these critical raw materials at a time when they are most needed.
The wait for the EU’s decision on Strategic Project status has been long. While being selected would be
an advantage, the reality is undeniable: geopolitical tensions and fragile global trade flows make Norra
Kärr essential to Sweden and Europe’s supply of heavy rare earth elements.
Whatever the EU’s decision, Norra Kärr isn’t just an exciting project —it’s a strategically vital one. And
with Europe’s urgent demand for HREEs, fast -tracking development is no longer an option —it’s an
imperative.”
On behalf of the Board of Directors,
Leading Edge Materials Corp.
Kurt Budge, CEO
For further information, please contact the Company at:
1.778-373-6727
www.leadingedgematerials.com
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 an d 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), 100% owned Norra Kärr H eavy Rare Earth Elements 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 March 23, 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”. 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.
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