VANCOUVER, Oct. 16, 2017 /CNW/ - Leading Edge Materials
Corp. ("Leading Edge Materials") or (the Company") (TSXV: LEM)
(OTCQB: LEMIF) is pleased to announce the Company's participation
in a Swedish Government Funded research project entitled
"Natural Swedish Graphite for Future Lithium Ion
Batteries".
Leading Edge Materials is a founding participant in the project,
along with the Ångström Advanced Battery Centre ("ÅABC"),
Uppsala University, Sweden. The
project is focused on the application and optimization of high
purity natural graphite as anode material for lithium ion
batteries, using graphite sourced from Leading Edge Material's
Woxna project in Sweden.
Major funding is provided by Vinnova, a Swedish government
agency working under the Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation to
promote research investment.
The Natural Swedish Graphite project brings together a very
knowledgeable team with decades of lithium ion battery research and
development experience. Led by Uppsala
University's Professor Kristina
Edström, the ÅABC is the largest battery research group in
the Nordic countries with research focused on all aspects of the
chemistry of rechargeable batteries and fuel cells. The total
project budget is SEK 1.75 million
(approximately CA$270,000) and the project is scheduled to run
until Q3 2019.
Professor Kristina Edström stated
"ÅABC is looking forward to working with Woxna battery graphite
to develop a superior anode material both technically and
environmentally for the future cell manufacturers in Europe and the world."
Project aims include:
- The manufacture of natural graphite powder with optimized
particle size distribution and shape to facilitate rapid lithium
movement;
- Optimization of the natural graphite purification process with
as low environmental impact as possible;
- Testing of graphite electrodes using new processes and binders
for commercialization;
- Development of polymeric composites that withstand long term
exposure to high temperatures and humidity by using graphene as
diffusion barrier.
Blair Way, President and CEO,
stated "The Ångström Centre is highly regarded globally with
many decades of lithium ion battery research and development.
We are very pleased to have the opportunity to work with Professor
Edström and her team on the further development of natural graphite
from Woxna for high value anode materials."
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.
About Ångström Advanced Battery Centre (ÅABC),
The Ångström Advanced Battery Centre is the largest battery
research group in the Nordic region and is led by Professor
Kristina Edström, Uppsala University in Uppsula. The lab has
all necessary equipment for available for the project including
furnaces for purification, mills for powder processing, microscopes
(SEM and TEM), spectroscopic methods, XRD, a small pilot line for
electrode production and battery manufacturing, and more than 200
channels for cycling batteries testing. The group can manufacture
battery cells ranging from button cells, Swagelock cells, pouch
cells to 18560 size battery cells. ÅABC battery group recently
received SEK 27 million from the
Battery Fund, a research and development program focused on battery
reuse and recycling, and on vehicle batteries, run jointly by the
Swedish Energy Agency and the Swedish Environmental Protection
Agency.
About Vinnova
Vinnova is a Swedish government agency
working under the Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation and acts as
the national contact agency for the EU Framework Program for
R&D. They promote sustainable growth by funding needs-driven
research and stimulating collaborations between companies,
universities, research institutes and public sector.
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 development and 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.
SOURCE Leading Edge Materials