<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
THE SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE GOLDEN
NORTHWEST ALUMINUM, INC. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY
BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<NAME>                        Golden Northwest Aluminum, Inc.
<CIK>                         0001079177
<MULTIPLIER>                  1000
       
                                                                                       
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR            YEAR           YEAR            9-MOS          9-MOS      
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>               SEP-30-1995     DEC-31-1996    DEC-31-1997     DEC-31-1997    DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                  OCT-01-1994     JAN-01-1996    JAN-01-1997     JAN-01-1997    JAN-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                    SEP-30-1995     DEC-31-1996    DEC-31-1997     SEP-30-1997    SEP-30-1998
<CASH>                                    0           6,345          1,251               0          1,122
<SECURITIES>                              0               0              0               0              0
<RECEIVABLES>                             0          60,490         61,862               0         48,119
<ALLOWANCES>                              0           1,296          1,000               0         (1,000)
<INVENTORY>                               0          51,389         60,892               0         62,314
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                          0         120,146        125,871               0        114,223
<PP&E>                                    0         113,105        113,812               0        116,167
<DEPRECIATION>                            0          30,894         40,749               0         45,892
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                            0         350,815        347,011               0        332,895
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                     0          58,238         89,473               0         73,115
<BONDS>                                   0         185,441        134,941               0        104,275
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                     0               0              0               0              0
<PREFERRED>                               0          29,663         29,663               0         29,663
<COMMON>                                  0              40             40               0             40
<OTHER-SE>                                0          65,314         65,464               0         65,584
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>              0         350,815        347,011               0        332,895

<SALES>                             289,693         373,038        497,872         363,282        360,035
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                    289,693         373,038        497,872         363,282        360,035
<CGS>                               256,211         329,739        438,299         314,575        329,897
<TOTAL-COSTS>                       256,211         329,739        438,299         314,575        329,897
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                      8,293           9,746         15,327          10,574         12,087
<LOSS-PROVISION>                          0               0              0               0              0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                      948           9,454         16,723          11,850         11,251
<INCOME-PRETAX>                      23,696          25,541         31,789          29,616          8,340
<INCOME-TAX>                              0           6,636         13,274          11,962          4,685
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                  23,696          18,905         18,495          17,654          3,655
<DISCONTINUED>                            0               0              0               0              0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                           0               0              0               0              0
<CHANGES>                                 0               0              0               0              0
<NET-INCOME>                         23,696          18,905         18,495          17,654          3,655
<EPS-PRIMARY>                        23,696          18,905         18,495          17,654          3,655
<EPS-DILUTED>                             0               0              0               0              0