Mercuria forms Zambia copper JV, joins AEW 2025

Mercuria Energy Group announced a 50:50 joint venture with Zambia’s Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) to form Industrial Resources, a copper concentrate trading JV, and has joined African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies 2025 as a Bronze Partner.

• 50:50 joint venture: The JV, named Industrial Resources, will focus on copper concentrate trading, enabling direct state participation in copper marketing for the first time; concentrate volumes are secured and the first shipment is underway, amid strong demand from smelters in China and treatment and refining charges hit record lows.
• Background and additional deals: Mercuria secured a $200 million pre-payment agreement for copper from Mopani Mine and signed a marketing deal with Gécamines; the firm is pursuing minority and majority positions across the metals supply chain and announced a strategic alliance with S2G Investments to finance energy modernization, climate risk mitigation and biodiversity initiatives including Silvania.
  • AEW 2025 participation:
    • Date: 2025 (article dateline: August 28, 2025)
    • Location: Cape Town, South Africa
    • Agenda/subject: AEW: Invest in African Energies conference — Mercuria attends as a Bronze Partner to showcase its critical minerals and metals trading footprint.