RIO DE JANEIRO, Apr 18 -- Brazilian primary aluminum production fell to 120,500 metric tons in March, down 8.5% on the same month a year ago, according to the Brazilian aluminum producers' association, or Abal.

In January-March 2011, output of the primary metal used in construction and packaging fell 6% from the same period in 2010 to 354,700 tons, Abal said in an emailed release.

The decline was attributed to the closure of Novelis' Aratu smelter in Bahia state, northeast Brazil, on high electrical energy costs. Novelis continues to operate with a single smelter in Brazil, at Ouro Preto in Minas Gerais state, where output remained stable in March at 4,100 tons.

Votorantim Metais, Brazil's biggest aluminum smelter, cut output by 17.4% in March to 40,200 tons, due to maintenance work at its Companhia Brasileira do Aluminio works in Sao Paulo state, Abal said. In the first three months of the year, Votorantim's primary aluminium output fell 14.7% from a year ago to 99,900 tons, it said.