[Trafigura Group Pre-pays $200 Million to Acquire Copper Anode from Ivanhoe's Congo Mine] Trafigura Group agreed to pay $200 million to acquire copper anode from a smelter owned by Ivanhoe Mines Limited in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which is expected to commence production in September. In a statement, Ivanhoe said that Trafigura Group had signed the prepayment agreement last month. The deal indicates that as competition for supply intensifies, global trading companies, from Mercuria Energy Group to Vitol Group, are continuing to invest funds to secure future copper supplies. The statement revealed that the world's largest copper trader will acquire 20% of the anode from the Congo smelter over three years, with interest payable at the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) plus 3.75%. Ivanhoe's joint venture partners - China's CITIC Metal Co., Ltd. and Zijin Mining Group - will hold the remaining 80%.