Gecamines SA, the Congolese state-owned mining company, and the Swiss firm Mercuria Energy Trading announced a major partnership in Kinshasa on Friday.
The collaboration is aimed at strengthening the marketing of critical minerals produced in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with a focus on enhancing transparency, controlling strategic resources, and maximizing local value addition.
The partnership, which stems from an earlier memorandum of understanding, will empower Gecamines to better manage the commercialization of its “equity tons”—the volumes it receives through its joint ventures. By participating directly in calls for expressions of interest, Gecamines expects to optimize its revenue and ensure competitive and transparent commercial terms.
Mercuria will leverage its global expertise in trading, logistics, and risk management. Critically, it will also provide financing facilities, including pre-financing and production financing, to accelerate mineral marketing and support the capacity development of Gecamines’ staff.
This arrangement allows Gecamines to strategically direct its tonnage into global value chains, particularly for copper and cobalt. The collaboration may also extend to other strategic minerals vital for modern technology, such as germanium and gallium, which are essential for electric vehicles and semiconductors.
The partnership has attracted interest from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), the U.S. government’s international investment arm. The DFC is considering a strategic stake that would grant American end-users a right of first refusal on critical minerals, promoting responsible and transparent sourcing and strengthening resilient supply chains.
Guy Robert Lukama, Chairman of Gecamines, emphasized that the partnership “strengthens the DRC’s role in the global market, ensuring that its resources are traded transparently and strategically to support sustainable economic growth.”
Kostas Bintas, Global Head of Metals at Mercuria, added that the collaboration offers Gecamines “greater control and increased visibility over its resources, maximizing value for local stakeholders.”
The collaboration also includes plans for investments in logistics infrastructure to facilitate the efficient export of these strategic raw materials, further bolstering the DRC’s standing in global markets.
DM/ac/fss/abj/APA