Leading Edge Materials Intersects High Tantalum and Lithium Grades at Bergby, Sweden

VANCOUVER, Jan. 10, 2018 /CNW/ - Leading Edge Materials Corp. ("Leading Edge Materials") or ("the Company") (TSXV:LEM) (OTCQB: LEMIF) is pleased to report the final set of results from the second program of drilling completed at the Company's 100% owned Bergby lithium project in Sweden.  Drilling intersected regular high lithium grades, and was notable for significantly increased tantalum grades in comparison to prior drill holes.

Key Results:

• BBY17025 intersected 5.1m @ 361ppm Ta₂O₅ (tantalum oxide) from 25.1m depth
• BBY17026 intersected 2.8m @ 297ppm Ta₂O₅ from 49.2m depth
• BBY17030 intersected 5.4m @ 1.60% Li₂O, 155ppm Ta₂O₅ from 25.0m depth
• BBY17031 intersected 4.5m @ 1.31% Li₂O, 164ppm Ta₂O₅ from 71.5m depth
• BBY17033 intersected 3.0m @ 1.33% Li₂O, from 52.8m depth

Holes BBY17025 to BBY17029 were drilled along the strike of the pegmatite to the north of previous drilling, up to 800m from the discovery zone (hole BBY17029). Where pegmatite was intersected in this northern area, it was notable for a lower lithium grade and a significant increase in the tantalum grade, suggesting a different style of LCT pegmatite (lithium-cesium-tantalum) was intersected.  Pegmatite was not intersected in holes BBY17027 to BBY17029, which may indicate a steeper dip than anticipated from nearby lithium mineralized outcrop.  

Holes BBY1030 to BBY17033 tested down dip from prior drilling, and all except for BBY17032 intersected high grades of lithium mineralization consistent with previous intersections.  Mineralization remains open in a down dip direction over at least 600m of strike.   

Bergby has now been tested by a total of 1525m of drilling in 33 drillholes to a maximum depth of 131.1m over an approximate 1500m strike length. Drillhole locations and results are provided in Tables 1 and 2 and presented as Figure 1. The true thickness of mineralized intervals is interpreted to be approximately 90% of the sampled thickness. 

Blair Way, President and CEO, stated, "These final results from the second program of drilling at Bergby have again delivered the strong encouragement of high lithium and tantalum grades over more than 1km of strike.  The grade variation is typical of LCT pegmatite fields, and has highlighted that there may be much more to find under the thin glacial soil cover.  Bergby remains a new lithium discovery at a very shallow depth, and we are now preparing a sample for metallurgical testwork to further advance the project." 

Bergby lies in central Sweden, 25km north of the town of Gävle, secured by three exploration licenses that cover a total of 1,903 Ha. The site is close to infrastructure, with major roads, rail and power supply passing immediately adjacent to the claim boundaries.  The potential for low cost and rapid development is significantly enhanced by the presence of a deep-water port only 5km from the site.

The qualified person for the Company's exploration projects, Mark Saxon, Director of Leading Edge Materials, a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy has reviewed and verified the contents of this release.

On behalf of the Board,

"Blair Way"
Blair Way, President & CEO

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.

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.

This is information that Leading Edge Materials Corp. is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, on January 10, 2018, at 5:25 am Vancouver time.

Forward-Looking Information. This news release may contain forward-looking statements and information based on current expectations. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Such statements 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, the Company's expectations regarding metallurgical testing at Bergby; unexpected geological conditions; the Company's expectations 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.

Table 1: Drill collars locations and orientations, Bergby Project. 

Table 2: Mineralized intervals from Bergby Project

SOURCE Leading Edge Materials