Aluminum Price Calculator
Price source: Front-month CME aluminum futures price via Yahoo Finance. Prices are cached by our server and CDN, so they can lag the market by up to about an hour. How we check accuracy
How aluminum is priced
Primary aluminium is quoted in US dollars per tonne on the London Metal Exchange (25-tonne lots). CME aluminum futures (ALI) are also priced per metric ton, 25 tonnes per contract.
This calculator shows the price per tonne. Divide by 2,204.62262 for the price per pound, or by 1,000 for the price per kilogram.
Buyers of physical metal also pay a regional premium on top of the exchange price, such as the US Midwest premium or the Rotterdam duty-paid premium in Europe.
Worked examples
- $/tonne to $/lb
- $2,600 per tonne ÷ 2,204.62262 = $1.18 per pound.
- Metal value of one drinks can
- A 15 g can at $2,600 per tonne contains 15 ÷ 1,000,000 × $2,600 = $0.039 of aluminium.
Prices in examples are illustrative; use the calculator above for the current price.
Common pitfalls
- The exchange price is for primary ingot. Scrap (cans, extrusions, cast) is bought at a discount, and the regional premium can be a large share of what manufacturers actually pay.
- "Aluminum" (US) and "aluminium" (UK and international) are the same metal; LME contracts use the second spelling.
- A "ton" in US quotes may be a short ton (2,000 lb), which is about 9% lighter than a metric tonne.
Weights used for aluminum
Precious metals are priced in troy ounces; everyday scales use avoirdupois ounces and pounds.
| Unit | Grams | Troy ounces |
|---|---|---|
| 1 gram | 1 | 0.03215 |
| 1 troy ounce | 31.1034768 | 1 |
| 1 ounce (avoirdupois) | 28.3495231 | 0.91146 |
| 1 tola | 11.6638038 | 0.375 |
| 1 pound (avoirdupois) | 453.59237 | 14.58333 |
| 1 kilogram | 1,000 | 32.15075 |
Frequently asked questions
What unit is aluminum priced in?
This calculator uses US dollars per metric tonne (1,000 kg). One tonne is 1,000 kg or 2,204.62262 lb, so divide by 2,204.62262 for the price per pound.
Sources
- NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C: General Tables of Units of Measurement — NIST
- LME Aluminium — London Metal Exchange
- Aluminum futures (ALI) contract specifications — CME Group
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