The cost of electrolytic aluminum in China rose by 0.7% month-on-month in December 2025
January 9, 2026
In December 2025, China's electrolytic aluminum industry continued the trend of "rising costs and increasing profits" seen last month. Yuefeng Aluminum Technology calculated that the weighted average full cost (including tax) of electrolytic aluminum for the month was 16,454 yuan per ton, an increase of 119 yuan per ton or 0.7% compared with the previous month. It decreased by 4,192 yuan per ton or 20.3% year-on-year. The increase in anode and electricity costs was the main reason for the rise in electrolytic aluminum costs this month, but the continuous decline in alumina prices offset part of the increase. In 2025, the weighted average full cost (including tax) of electrolytic aluminum in China was 16,722 yuan per ton, a decrease of 5.6% or 995 yuan per ton compared with the previous year.
According to the spot quotation of alumina from Yuefeng Aluminum Technology, during the raw material procurement period in December, the average spot price of alumina was 2,808 yuan per ton, a decrease of 77 yuan per ton or 2.7% compared with the previous month. Electricity prices have maintained an upward trend. The comprehensive tax-inclusive electricity price for the electrolytic aluminum industry in the current month was 0.423 yuan per kilowatt-hour, an increase of 0.006 yuan per kilowatt-hour compared to the previous month. From the perspective of anode prices, due to the heating season in the main production areas of Shandong and Henan and the increase in raw material prices, anode prices continued to rise to a new high in nearly two and a half years in December, thereby pushing up the production cost of electrolytic aluminum.
While costs are rising, the price of electrolytic aluminum is increasing more significantly, and profits are on the rise. In December, the average price of continuous contracts of Shanghai Aluminum reached 22,101 yuan per ton, rising by 556 yuan per ton compared with the previous month. Yuefeng Aluminum Technology calculated that its average profit for the month was 5,647 yuan per ton (due to the different corporate income tax rates in various regions, value-added tax and income tax were not excluded), an increase of 437 yuan per ton compared with the previous month. The entire industry remained profitable. The average profit per ton of aluminum for the whole year was approximately 4,028 yuan, an increase of 80.8% or 1,801 yuan compared with the previous year.
