Global aluminum production last month approached levels not seen since October 2008, driven by a 17-percent year-over-year increase in China, according to the latest data from the International Aluminium Institute.

Global production totaled 3.26 million tonnes in October, up 4.6 percent from almost 3.12 million the previous month and off only 1 percent from 3.29 million tonnes in October 2008.

The catalyst for improved world production was China, where primary...