Rising raw material costs and the US dollar weakness over the past two years have pushed primary aluminium smelter operating costs to their highest levels seen in many years. World average business operating costs at smelters have seen a substantial increase rising by an average US$209 per tonne in 2006, cumulating with a US$130-tonne rise the previous year. Production costs have been escalating due to rising alumina, power and carbon prices, and have continued to rise strongly in 2007.
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