China has led the world in nonferrous metals output for five years in a row, said sources with the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association (CNMIA) on Thursday.

The country's output of ten main nonferrous metals, including copper, aluminum, nickel, lead, zinc and magnesium, surged 17.48 percent year-on-year to 19.17 million tons in 2006.

The country produced three million tons of copper, 9.35 million tons of electrolytic aluminum, 2.74 million tons of lead and 3.15 million tons of zinc.

Output of nine nonferrous metals - excluding nickel - topped the world.

Profits of the country's main nonferrous metals companies soared 99.5 percent to 110 billion yuan (14.1 billion U.S. dollars) last year.

In 2007, the country's nonferrous metals output will increase rapidly, with prices remaining at a high level due to rising demand, said Kang Yi, the CNMIA chairman.