LEADING EDGE MATERIALS COMMENCES ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR NORRA KÄRR

NEWS RELEASE                                    October 27, 2026

LEADING EDGE MATERIALS COMMENCES ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR NORRA KÄRR

• Environmental Impact Assessment (“EIA”) work has commenced at Norra Kärr.
• Leading Swedish environmental consultancy Ecogain appointed to support the EIA process and studies required for environmental permitting.
• EIA will form the basis of the application for an environmental permit under the Swedish Environmental Code, planned for submission during 2027.
• Following the award of the 25-year mining lease in June this year, the EIA marks the next important development phase towards Norra Kärr being the Europe’s first heavy rare earths mine.

Vancouver, October 27, 2026 – Leading Edge Materials Corp. (“Leading Edge Materials” or the “Company”) (TSXV: LEM) (Nasdaq First North: LEMSE) (OTCQB: LEMIF) (FRA: 7FL) is pleased to announce that its wholly owned Swedish subsidiary, Greenna Mineral AB (“Greenna Mineral”), has commenced work on the Environmental Impact Assessment for the Norra Kärr Heavy Rare Earth Elements Project.

The EIA marks an important step in the permitting process following the Swedish Government’s decision to grant an Exploitation Concession (Sw. bearbetningskoncession) for Norra Kärr. With the Concession in place, the Company is now advancing towards an application for an environmental permit under the Swedish Environmental Code (Sw. miljöbalken), which is planned for submission during 2027.

From concession to environmental permit

The Exploitation Concession confirms the Company’s right to extract the mineral deposit and establishes that the site is suitable for mining. The environmental permit, which is reviewed by the Land and Environment Court (Sw. Mark- och miljödomstolen), will set out the detailed conditions under which mining operations may be carried out.

The EIA will provide the comprehensive knowledge base required for this application. It will build on the revised project design presented in the Concession application, under which chemical processing will take place at a separate location, significantly reducing the project’s environmental footprint at site.

Approach to the EIA work

The EIA work will initially focus on a nature value inventory (Sw. naturvärdesinventering) and preliminary studies. The scope of further investigations, and the areas they will cover, will then be determined through the consultation process, in dialogue with authorities, local communities and other stakeholders. This approach ensures that the EIA addresses the issues identified as most relevant by those concerned, in line with the requirements of the Swedish Environmental Code.

Continued stakeholder dialogue

Consultation is a central component of the Swedish environmental permitting process and Greenna Mineral will continue to engage with authorities, landowners, local residents, organisations and other stakeholders, building on the dialogue established during the Concession process.

Kurt Budge, Chief Executive Officer, commented:

“The start of the Environmental Impact Assessment marks an important milestone for Norra Kärr. With the Exploitation Concession secured, we are now focused on building the robust, science-based foundation required for a successful environmental permit application.

“I am very pleased to have Ecogain’s deep experience of Swedish environmental permitting as we move forwards. We will carry out thorough investigations while maintaining an open and constructive dialogue with local communities and authorities.

“Europe’s need for a secure, domestic supply of heavy rare earths – dysprosium, terbium and yttrium – has never been more urgent. Advancing Norra Kärr through the environmental permitting process in a responsible and timely manner is our clear priority, and we look forward to submitting our application during 2027.”

About Ecogain

Ecogain is a leading Swedish environmental consultancy in biodiversity, helping companies and society integrate nature into strategic decisions. Founded in 2001, Ecogain works at the intersection of ecology, environmental law and business, combining scientific depth with long practical experience of the Swedish environmental permitting process. Together with the Swedish mining industry association Svemin and its members, Ecogain developed Mining with Nature, the industry’s roadmap for biodiversity, including guidance on compensation and restoration.

About the Norra Kärr Project

Norra Kärr is one of Europe’s most significant deposits of heavy rare earth elements. The project’s strategic value is underpinned by its high dysprosium and terbium (“Dy/Tb”) content, critical inputs for permanent magnets used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, and defence applications.

On 25 June 2026, an Exploitation Concession (Sw. bearbetningskoncession) – 25-year mining lease – was granted by the Swedish Government following a formal recommendation from the Mining Inspectorate (Sw. Bergsstaten), which submitted the application to the Government for a final decision after all involved agencies had either endorsed the application or recommended approval.

The strategic importance of heavy rare earth elements to Europe’s industrial future has never been more apparent. As China’s export controls have demonstrated, access to dysprosium, terbium and yttrium cannot be taken for granted — and the consequences of supply disruption are severe. Norra Kärr, now holding an Exploitation Concession, is key to addressing Europe’s critical risk exposure.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,
Leading Edge Materials Corp.

Kurt Budge, CEO

Corporate Head Office (Vancouver, Canada): 778-686-5357

About Leading Edge Materials

Leading Edge Materials Corp. is a Canadian-listed company focused on developing critical raw material assets across the European Union. Its primary focus is the wholly owned Norra Kärr Heavy Rare Earth Element project in Sweden — one of the world’s most strategically significant heavy rare earth deposits and among the few advanced-stage projects within the EU capable of producing dysprosium, terbium, and yttrium at meaningful scale.

Situated in one of the globe’s most politically and regulatory stable mining environments, Norra Kärr is well-positioned to contribute directly to the objectives of the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act, including the bloc’s target of sourcing 10% of its critical raw material consumption domestically by 2030. Beyond rare earths, the Company owns the Woxna Graphite mine in Sweden — a fully constructed and permitted facility — and has an exploration alliance in Romania.

Additional Information

The information was submitted for publication through the agency of the contact person set out above, on October 27, 2026, at 23:30 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”. Svensk Kapitalmarknadsgranskning (“SKMG”) is the Company’s Certified Adviser for the Nasdaq First North Growth Market (Stockholm) and may be contacted via email ca@skmg.se or by phone +46 (0)8 913 008.

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