Leading Edge Materials Provides Update on High Purity Battery Graphite Qualification from the Woxna Project, Sweden

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - May 18, 2017) - Leading Edge Materials Corp. ("Leading Edge Materials") or (the Company") (TSX VENTURE:LEM)(OTCQB:LEMIF) is pleased to announce test results from ten 18650 lithium ion battery cells manufactured using high purity graphite from the Company's Woxna mine and processing facility in Sweden. 18650 battery cells are the "industry standard" for testing battery performance, equivalent to those manufactured by Panasonic and used in Tesla electric vehicles. 

Production of 18650 format cells has enabled a more comprehensive test of the performance of Woxna high purity graphite in lithium ion batteries. The batteries bearing Woxna graphite were tested using High Precision Coulometry ("HPC") to measure anode performance and stability under "real-world" conditions. Test results are positive and encourage LEM to proceed further with battery material qualification. The next stage of testing will include expanded 18650 battery cell manufacture and undertaking more exhaustive material and performance testing. 

Highlights of the latest test work include:

• Strong and consistent battery cell capacity over 2 Ah
• High coulombic efficiency (CE) trending over 99%
• Excellent results for natural flake graphite anode materials

Blair Way, President and CEO, stated "It is rewarding to see the progress made in the testing of our Woxna graphite for the lithium ion battery market. 18650 cells were manufactured using over 4kg of Woxna high purity graphite, and provide the best test of graphite anode performance under real world conditions, well beyond the testing possible on smaller coin cells. The HPC test results are encouraging and I look forward to continuing this qualification process."

A large quantity of commercial graphite flotation concentrate from the Woxna mine in Sweden was shipped to an independent laboratory in the United States for spheronising and thermal purification. This high purity graphite was used to produce anode material for the manufacture of 18650 battery cells. These cells were tested with HPC to estimate the cell life cycle capability. HPC measures coulombic efficiency ("CE") which is the loss of electrons per cycle, by accurately measuring the charge delivered during discharge against the charge stored during charging. The closer the coulombic efficiency gets to 100% the longer the life of the battery. At 100% CE the battery life is infinite, which has not been achieved to date in any lithium ion battery. The company will provide further updates as test work and qualification progresses.

On behalf of the Board,

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.

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.

The qualified person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 for the Woxna project, Blair Way, President, Chief Executive Officer and a director of the Company, and a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, has reviewed and verified the contents of this release.

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 graphite production at Woxna, the Company's preliminary economic assessment on Woxna is no longer current or valid as a result of the filing of a new NI 43-101 Technical Report effective March 24, 2015, and the Company has no plans to complete a new preliminary economic assessment, a pre-feasibility or feasibility study on the project, as such there is an increased risk of technical and economic failure for the Woxna graphite project; unexpected geological conditions; exploration activities to advance other critical material projects of the Company 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.