Aluminum Price in 1997
In 1997, the price of aluminum averaged $1,599 per tonne, up 6.2% from the year before. This page covers the 1997 average, high, low, and year-end close, the events that moved the market, and what that aluminum would be worth in today's dollars.
1997 Average
$1,599
LME annual average, USD/tonne
Change vs 1996
+6.2%
from $1,506 in 1996
What happened to the aluminum price in 1997
Aluminum averaged $1,599 per tonne in 1997, up 6.2% from $1,506 the year before.
The 1990s were mostly weak, with post-Soviet metal flooding the market and the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis capping demand; aluminum spent the decade largely between $1,250 and $1,800.
Adjusted for inflation, aluminum's 1997 average of $1,599 equals about $3,211 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the price of aluminum in 1997?
What is a 1997 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.