Eurasian Resources & Mercuria Seal $100 Million Copper Deal in DRC

Eurasian Resources Group (ERG) has entered into a landmark agreement with Mercuria Energy Trading SA, securing up to $100 million in prepayment financing over the next three years for copper supplies from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The arrangement, structured as a supply and prepayment deal, is designed to strengthen ERG’s working capital and accelerate the development of its copper projects in one of the world’s most resource-endowed mining regions. For Mercuria, the partnership further consolidates its position as a major player in global metals trading, particularly as demand for copper continues to surge amid the global energy transition.

Under the terms of the agreement, Mercuria will provide staged prepayments to ERG, which will in turn supply copper produced from its DRC operations. This financial structure allows ERG to advance mine development and production expansion without immediate reliance on traditional debt financing. ERG, 40% owned by the government of Kazakhstan, has been steadily growing its African footprint, focusing on copper and cobalt, two metals critical for electric vehicle batteries, renewable power systems, and grid electrification technologies.

Mercuria’s metals division has reported approximately $300 million in trading profits this year, supported by strategic supply partnerships and growing exposure to critical minerals. The company’s recent collaborations in Africa, including joint trading ventures with Gécamines, the DRC’s state-owned mining company, and partnerships in Zambia, further underscore its ambition to deepen its influence across the Central African Copperbelt. This region, straddling southern DRC and northern Zambia, accounts for a substantial portion of the world’s high-grade copper and cobalt output.

The deal highlights the DRC’s rising strategic importance in global copper supply chains. As countries worldwide push toward low-carbon economies, copper’s role as a cornerstone metal for electrification has made Central Africa a focus of international investment. The infusion of prepayment financing not only provides ERG with liquidity to expand operations but also signals continued confidence from global traders in the region’s long-term production potential, despite logistical and governance challenges.

This partnership reflects a broader trend of commodity-backed financing that aligns traders’ interests with producers’ expansion needs. By securing future supply at predictable terms, Mercuria strengthens its access to copper while enabling ERG to scale up production at a critical time for global mineral demand. The collaboration may also set a precedent for similar financing models across Africa’s mining sector, fostering new forms of trade-linked investment and supporting infrastructure development in resource-rich nations.

Mini-Glossary

• Prepayment financing: A structure where a buyer provides funds upfront to a supplier in exchange for future delivery of commodities.
• Copperbelt: The Central African region, mainly in the DRC and Zambia, rich in copper and cobalt deposits.
• Critical minerals: Metals essential for technologies that enable the energy transition, such as electric vehicles and renewable energy systems.
• Commodity-backed financing: Loans or payments secured by the future production or delivery of commodities.
• Gécamines: The state-owned mining company of the Democratic Republic of Congo.