T +1 604 685 9316 | leadingedgematerials.com
NEWS RELEASE February 26, 2018
LEADING EDGE MATERIALS CORP.
1305 – 1090 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC, V6E 3V7
T +1 604 685 9316 | leadingedgematerials.com
TSX.V : LEM Nasdaq First North: LEMSE OTCQB : LEMIF
emerging materials, expanding markets
EU Battery Alliance Delivers Strategic Plan to Develop Large Scale
Lithium Ion Battery Industry in Europe
Vancouver, Canada – Lead ing Edge Materials Corp. (“Leading Edge Materials ”) or (“the Company ”)
(TSXV:LEM) ( OTCQB: LEMIF ) ( Nasdaq First North: LEMSE ) is pleased to share the major priority
recommendations of the EU Battery Alliance, which were delivered in Brussels on Friday 23rd February as part of the
EU Industry Days. The EU Battery Alliance was esta blished by Vice-President for Energy Union Maroš Šefčovic on
October the 11th 2017 following a high-level meeting with Europe’s leading industrial companies.
Leading Edge Materials is proud to be an active raw material industry representative within the EU Battery Alliance,
which is comprised of more than 50 of Europe’s strongest corporate voices within the emerging lithium ion battery
sector, plus numerous support and government agencies. Leading Edge Materials is the only potential supplier of
natural graphite anode material within the Alliance, whic h allowed the Company’s voice to be clearly heard with
regard to the sustainable supply of European raw materials.
The EU Battery Alliance was formed in response to the recognition that despite world-leading fundamental research
and a broad customer base particularly in the automotive in dustry, Europe is not playing a significant role in the
industrial production of lithium ion batteries. European Commission research estimates that by 2025, the European
battery market will have an annual value in the order of €250 billion, reflecting approximately 200 GWh of energy
storage capacity per year, an industry too large to be left to global competitors.
The EU Battery Alliance was directed to identify a strategic plan to accelerate the installation of large-scale battery
cell production capabilities in Europe. Discussions were focused on creating competitiveness throughout the entire
European battery value chain, while increasing the sustainability of the industry through responsible and where
possible local sourcing. A collaborative approach is vie wed as an essential precursor, with skills drawn from
European mining, chemical, energy, manufacturing and automotive industries.
“Our objective for the Alliance is simple, but the challenge is immense. We want, almost from scratch, to create
a competitive and sustainable, battery cell manufacturing in Europe supported by a full EU-based value chain.”
- Maroš Šefčovic at Industry Days Forum, February 23rd 2018
A number of priority actions were identified by the EU Battery Alliance, including:
Invest in R&D and pilot plants to take the technology lead in primary and secondary raw materials processing;
Build European alliances between industries from diff erent parts of the value chain and politics to boost
mining and intermediate product production in EU;
Define cell manufacturing as a strategic industry;
Implement same compliance rules to foreign battery prod ucts imported to Europe as applied to European
products;
Define and implement certification/labelling of batterie s made in Europe. Use the declaration as a tool in
trade agreements and tax treatment with non-EU battery providers;
InnoEnergy has published a short introduction to the work completed to date:
http://europa.eu/rapid/attachment/SPEECH-18-1168/en/EBA%20presentation%2023%20Feb%202018.pdf
Leading Edge Materials is committed to pursue any opportun ities that might arise from this alliance in order to
become a supplier in a competitive and sustainable fully EU-based value chain.
On behalf of the Board,
"Blair Way"
Blair Way, President & CEO
For further information, contact: 1.604.685.9316
www.leadingedgematerials.com
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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. Remium Nordic AB is the Company’s
Certified Adviser (“CA”) as part of the listing requirements for Nasdaq First North.
Important information
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Pr ovider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX
Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
Forward-Looking Information. This news release may contain forward-looking statements and information based on current
expectations. These statem ents should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Such statem ents
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, unexpected geological conditions; the Company’s expectat ions 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.