China aluminium output rises 4.7% YoY to record high in August

China's aluminium production reached a record high in August as strong margins encouraged smelters to maximise output, bringing the world's largest aluminium producer closer to its longstanding national capacity ceiling.

Primary aluminium output rose 4.7 per cent year on year to 3.98 million tonnes in August, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics. Production was also higher than the just-under 3.9 million tonnes recorded in July and was close to the previous monthly record of 3.979 million tonnes set in June.

China's aluminium output for the first eight months of 2026 reached 31.12 million tonnes, up 3.9 per cent from the same period a year earlier.

At the current pace, annual production would reach around 46.7 million tonnes, above China's 45 million-tonne capacity ceiling. The country has maintained strict controls on aluminium smelting capacity since 2017.

Strong margins support higher aluminium output

Aluminium prices have risen following supply disruptions in the Middle East linked to the war. Benchmark three-month aluminium on the London Metal Exchange has gained nearly 8 per cent so far this year, including an 1.82 per cent increase in August.

China produced 45.02 million tonnes of primary aluminium in 2025, representing a 2.4 per cent increase from the previous year.

The continued growth in 2026 therefore puts annual output on course to exceed last year's production level, although the pace of production also raises questions around the country's closely controlled smelting capacity.

Non-ferrous metal production also rises

Production of 10 non-ferrous metals, including copper, aluminium, lead, zinc and nickel, increased 1.6 per cent year on year to 7.1 million tonnes.

For January-August, combined output of the 10 metals reached 55.58 million tonnes, up 2.9 per cent from the same period last year.

For aluminium, the August record highlights how profitable market conditions are encouraging smelters to operate at high rates even as production approaches the national capacity ceiling.