Denarius Metals takes 15.6% stake in Copper Giant to anchor Mocoa project

The financing, priced at C$0.72 per share, brings Denarius Metals a 15.6% stake in the company. The move is heavily backed by principal shareholder Frank Giustra, who is increasing his position to 15.8%, and CEO Ian Harris, both of whom have committed to two-year lock-ups on their shares. The capital injection arrives as Colombia prepares for a leadership transition under President-elect Abelardo De La Espriella, whose administration is expected to prioritize the development of the nation’s mineral wealth.

Trafigura’s involvement provides a critical bridge to market for the Mocoa project. Under the agreement, the trading house will purchase 20% of the future copper and molybdenum concentrate output for a decade once production commences. This commitment offers the project a level of stability rare for undeveloped assets. The inclusion of molybdenum is particularly strategic, as the mineral is increasingly categorized as a critical asset amid tightening global supply chains and export controls from major producers like China.

Copper Giant’s Mocoa deposit holds 1.12 billion tonnes of inferred resources, with a identified starter zone of 190 million tonnes that serves as the foundation for the current economic assessments. The company is bolstering its local political footprint by appointing Bogota-based strategist Carlos Augusto Suárez Rojas to its board. With the financing expected to close by August 21, the firm aims to push past preliminary studies and toward a definitive construction decision, banking on a favorable shift in Colombia's regulatory climate for large-scale mining.