Aluminum Price in 1979
In 1979, the price of aluminum averaged $1,603 per tonne, up 21.0% from the year before. This page covers the 1979 average and what that aluminum would be worth in today's dollars.
1979 Average
$1,603
LME annual average, USD/tonne
Change vs 1978
+21.0%
from $1,325 in 1978
Aluminum Price Chart, 1970 to 1990
What happened to the aluminum price in 1979
Aluminum averaged $1,603 per tonne in 1979, climbing 21.0% from the $1,325 average of 1978.
Aluminum began the 1970s as a low-priced, producer-set metal and rose through the decade's oil-shock inflation from around $600 to $1,600 per tonne, as the LME launched its aluminium contract in 1978.
Adjusted for inflation, aluminum's 1979 average of $1,603 equals about $7,116 in today's dollars. The conversion uses US Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U annual averages, so treat it as a close approximation rather than an exact figure.
Data note: First full year with an LME cash quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the price of aluminum in 1979?
What is a 1979 aluminum price worth in today's dollars?
Annual averages are World Bank and LME aluminum prices per tonne in US dollars (LME cash and settlement basis). Values before the LME aluminium contract launched in October 1978 are producer and list-price proxies, and the 2025 figure is preliminary. Where daily data exists, the per-year high, low, and close come from MetalCharts historical data. Inflation adjustments use BLS CPI-U annual averages.