Aluminium price and historical chart

The latest available aluminium reference is $3,251.00 USD per metric tonne for August 2026. Latest monthly release. It is a monthly average from World Bank Pink Sheet.

Aluminium is traded in primary and alloy forms. Regional physical premiums, power costs and transport can make delivered prices differ from a headline benchmark.

Calculate value

Monthly average

$3,251.00

USD / tonne

August 2026 · World Bank Pink Sheet · Latest monthly release

CurrencyPrice per

World Bank Pink SheetDownload USD history ↓

Historical currency views use the latest reference FX, not date-matched historical exchange rates.

aluminium explained

Bauxite, alumina and aluminium are not three names for one product.

The physical chain changes the material twice before fabrication, then recycling creates a second route back into production.

01
Mine bauxite
Ore is extracted and prepared near the deposit.
02
Refine alumina
The Bayer process produces aluminium oxide from bauxite.
03
Smelt aluminium
The Hall-Héroult process uses electricity to make primary metal.
04
Cast and fabricate
Metal becomes billet, slab, sheet, extrusion, foil or another alloy product.

Queensland’s integrated bauxite-to-metal chain.

The Australian example keeps three easily confused materials separate: bauxite is mined, alumina is refined from it, and aluminium metal is smelted from alumina.

Choose route

Origin Processing User market Feed material Finished product

Queensland mine-to-metal

Loading the aluminium supply-chain map…

The numbered route turns the cited operator description into a readable geography. Market points show broad destinations; they do not identify a buyer, live shipment or exclusive path. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

1 Queensland bauxite → Gladstone alumina and smelting → product markets

Rio Tinto’s Queensland chain runs from bauxite mines through alumina refining to aluminium smelting at Gladstone. Alumina can also be exported or supplied to other smelters.

1 · OriginWeipa and Amrun bauxite mines

2 · ProcessingGladstone alumina and aluminium complex Yarwun and QAL refine bauxite to alumina; Boyne Smelters turns alumina into metal

3 · Supplied or usedAustralian manufacturing marketAsia-Pacific customers

Source: Rio Tinto — Australian aluminium chain

Alumina can leave the chain before the smelter. Rio Tinto states that Australian alumina can feed its smelters or be sold internationally. The displayed route is a documented capability, not a claim that every tonne reaches Boyne.

Where is primary aluminium smelted?

This map starts at the smelter because the page’s market reference is primary aluminium. Bauxite mining and alumina refining sit upstream and have different country rankings.

2025 estimate

China produced an estimated 45 million tonnes of primary aluminium in 2025, far ahead of India, Russia, Canada and the UAE. Aluminium’s origin has three stages: bauxite mining, alumina refining and power-intensive metal smelting.

Loading the aluminium production map…

The circles compare the published national estimates. Each point marks a representative producing area rather than every operation or legal boundary. The table provides the same facts without the interactive map. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

1. China 45 million metric tonnes · 60.8% of rounded world output

45 million metric tonnes

2. India 4.2 million metric tonnes · 5.7% of rounded world output

4.2 million metric tonnes

3. Russia 3.9 million metric tonnes · 5.3% of rounded world output

3.9 million metric tonnes

4. Canada 3.3 million metric tonnes · 4.5% of rounded world output

3.3 million metric tonnes

5. United Arab Emirates 2.7 million metric tonnes · 3.6% of rounded world output

2.7 million metric tonnes

6. Bahrain 1.6 million metric tonnes · 2.2% of rounded world output

1.6 million metric tonnes

The map ranks primary aluminium smelter output, not bauxite mining. Recycled aluminium is a separate large supply stream and is excluded from these primary totals.

Leading aluminium producers in the 2025 estimate
Rank	Country	Primary smelter production	World share	Representative map area
1	China	45 million metric tonnes	60.8%	Chinese primary aluminium smelters
2	India	4.2 million metric tonnes	5.7%	Indian primary aluminium smelters
3	Russia	3.9 million metric tonnes	5.3%	Siberian and wider Russian smelting regions
4	Canada	3.3 million metric tonnes	4.5%	Québec aluminium-smelting region
5	United Arab Emirates	2.7 million metric tonnes	3.6%	UAE aluminium-smelting hubs
6	Bahrain	1.6 million metric tonnes	2.2%	Bahrain aluminium smelter

The map is not a bauxite ranking. Countries can mine bauxite, refine alumina or smelt primary metal in different proportions. Electricity availability helps determine where the final smelting stage occurs.

What did aluminium supply in the United States in 2025?

Transportation was the largest reported US aluminium use in 2025, followed by packaging and building products. Electrical equipment, durable goods and machinery made up most of the rest.

Transportation36%

Packaging24%

Building13%

Electrical9%

Consumer durables8%

Machinery8%

Other2%

Transportation

36%

Vehicles, aircraft, rail and other transport equipment.

Packaging

24%

Cans, foil and other containers.

Building

13%

Structures, cladding, windows and construction products.

Electrical

Conductors, equipment and heat-transfer applications.

Consumer durables

Appliances and long-lived consumer products.

Machinery

Industrial equipment and fabricated components.

Other

Remaining reported applications.

Primary and recycled aluminium meet at the product stage

Primary aluminium begins with mined bauxite. Secondary aluminium begins with manufacturing scrap or discarded products, yet both can enter alloy and fabrication systems after suitable processing.

A sheet, extrusion or casting includes alloying and fabrication. Its invoice price therefore cannot be reconstructed from the primary-metal benchmark alone.

Read an aluminium offer carefully

Confirm whether the material is primary metal, secondary alloy or a fabricated form.
Identify the alloy series and temper where those specifications matter.
Separate regional physical premiums from the reference price.
Include conversion, finishing, freight and scrap deductions.

Calculate aluminium value by weight

See how concentrated aluminium mine supply is in the metal supply concentration table, or estimate the weight and cost of a aluminium sheet, bar or tube with the material cost calculator.

Production and use source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 — Aluminum. Route evidence: Rio Tinto — Australian aluminium chain.

Behind the chart.

Data methodology →

This chart separates the source observation, its period and its published unit from later currency or weight conversions.

What this price represents

Aluminium is traded in primary and alloy forms. Regional physical premiums, power costs and transport can make delivered prices differ from a headline benchmark.

Monthly observations are nominal USD averages from the World Bank Pink Sheet where available; palladium uses means of stored daily references. Yearly values are means of the available monthly averages, with incomplete periods labelled. Period averages describe the stated interval, not a current executable quote. Currency and weight conversions change the display, not the underlying specification.

What a physical transaction may cost

Grade, delivery location, fabrication, taxes and dealer spreads can change a real offer. Use a matching specification and period when comparing prices.

Recent observations

Recent Aluminium price observations
Period	USD / tonne
Aug 2026	3,251.00
Jul 2026	3,161.00
Jun 2026	3,439.00
May 2026	3,666.00
Apr 2026	3,600.00
Mar 2026	3,373.00
Feb 2026	3,065.00
Jan 2026	3,142.00
Dec 2025	2,876.00
Nov 2025	2,819.00
Oct 2025	2,793.00
Sep 2025	2,653.00

The selected period in numbers.

monthly observations · 2021-08-01 to 2026-08-01 · USD / tonne · World Bank Pink Sheet

Lowest observation2,137

Highest observation3,666

Mean observation2,631.79

Stored observations61

First-to-last change24.89%

High and low mean the highest and lowest stored observations, not intraday trading extremes. The mean is an unweighted average of those observations. Missing dates are not filled in.

Aluminium by weight.

Custom weight & purity →

Common fine-metal weights

Uses the latest reference of the frequency selected above. Values exclude product premiums and fees.

Aluminium values at common fine-metal weights
Fine weight	Reference value (USD)
1 gram	0.00
10 grams	0.03
1 troy ounce	0.10
100 grams	0.33
1 kilogram	3.25

Fine weight versus gross weight

The reference values assume the entire weight is the specified metal. For an alloy, multiply net metal weight by its fineness divided by 1,000 before applying a fine-metal price. Deduct stones or non-metal parts first. A plated item cannot be valued as though all its weight were the surface metal.

A troy ounce is 31.1034768 grams. An ordinary ounce is 28.349523125 grams. A metric tonne is 1,000 kilograms. Use the weight worksheet to compare units or an entire batch.

For a purchase, compare the invoice with the premium calculator. For recovered metal, review deductions in the scrap payout calculator.

Primary aluminium and the cost of a finished form

An aluminium reference does not include every cost of producing a sheet, extrusion or finished part. Primary metal, alloy material and fabricated products have distinct specifications. The table preserves the source unit so that a per-kilogram conversion is not mistaken for a change in grade.

Power and production

Electricity is an important input in primary aluminium production. Production economics provide context but should not be treated as a direct formula for the selling price.

Transport and packaging

Transport, packaging and construction use aluminium in different forms. Product mix can change demand for particular alloys or shapes.

Regional premiums

Delivery location and physical availability can lead to premiums beyond a reference benchmark. Include these when comparing invoice totals.

Make comparisons meaningful

Copper provides a useful industrial comparison, particularly when looking at broad manufacturing activity. Nickel and zinc add context for other metal markets with different applications.

In the comparison chart, each series starts at 100 on its first shared date. This compares percentage movements rather than equating the price of a tonne with the price of an ounce. For a physical transaction, also match quality, currency and delivery conditions.

Which product are you comparing?

Aluminium product specifications to compare
Product	What to check
Primary aluminium	Separate the benchmark from a regional physical premium.
Alloys and extrusions	Use the specified alloy and include fabrication charges.
Recovered material	Sorting, coatings and alloy composition affect recovery and buyer terms.

Recent yearly averages.

Download annual USD data ↓

Original USD per metric tonne. These figures average the available monthly observations. They are not year-end closes or the mean of all daily prices. This archive retains the original source unit regardless of chart display settings.

Aluminium recent yearly averages
Year	Average (USD)	Monthly observations	Coverage
2026	3,337.12	8	Partial period
2025	2,631.67	12	12 complete monthly observations
2024	2,419.08	12	12 complete monthly observations
2023	2,255.75	12	12 complete monthly observations
2022	2,705.00	12	12 complete monthly observations
2021	2,472.92	12	12 complete monthly observations
2020	1,704.00	12	12 complete monthly observations
2019	1,794.50	12	12 complete monthly observations
2018	2,108.58	12	12 complete monthly observations
2017	1,967.42	12	12 complete monthly observations

Partial averages can change as observations are added. Do not compare an incomplete year with a full year as though the coverage were identical.

Questions about aluminium prices

Is the Aluminium price live or a reference?

This page uses World Bank monthly reference averages; a daily series is not available here. The displayed label, source and timestamp identify the observation. Polling a source does not make its underlying publication more frequent.

What can affect the Aluminium price?

Power and production: Electricity is an important input in primary aluminium production. Production economics provide context but should not be treated as a direct formula for the selling price. Transport and packaging: Transport, packaging and construction use aluminium in different forms. Product mix can change demand for particular alloys or shapes.

Which Aluminium products need separate specifications?

Primary aluminium: Separate the benchmark from a regional physical premium. Alloys and extrusions: Use the specified alloy and include fabrication charges. These product differences mean one headline reference cannot price every physical transaction.

What do monthly and yearly Aluminium prices mean?

Monthly values retain the World Bank source averages rather than being rebuilt from a different daily feed. Yearly values average those monthly observations. The table flags incomplete coverage. A period average is different from a closing price.

How do I value a custom amount of Aluminium?

Use the aluminium value calculator for weight, fineness and currency, then inspect its scenario chart and weight table. A contained-metal estimate excludes unentered premiums, fees and non-metal components.

Where does aluminium come from?

How does aluminium move from mines to users?

Rio Tinto’s Queensland chain runs from bauxite mines through alumina refining to aluminium smelting at Gladstone. Alumina can also be exported or supplied to other smelters. Follow the documented aluminium routes; they are explanatory relationships rather than live cargo tracking.

What is aluminium used for?

Transportation was the largest reported US aluminium use in 2025, followed by packaging and building products. Electrical equipment, durable goods and machinery made up most of the rest. The end-use section separates the cited applications.

Sources and further reading

World Bank commodity data — monthly reference histories and source documentation.
USGS commodity statistics and information — material uses, supply and industry context.
price-chart.com methodology — validation, timestamps, period averages and conversions.

A little more perspective.

Industrial metals 5 MIN READ

The metals behind everyday life.

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