The predecessor of SAMI, Civil Construction Engineering Company of ministry of Industry of Northeast People’s Govement was founded in March 1951 in Harbin. It had architecture, structure and budget disciplines, namely there are 120 employees including 68 designers.

In January 1953, the company moved to Shenyang from Harbin and changed its name to Engineering Company of Ministry of Heavy Industry with a total 1754 employees including 212 designers, 1036 prospectors’ employees.

In October 1954, it changed its name to Shenyang Nonferrous Metallurgy No. 2 Engineering Institute of Ministry of Heavy Industry with 818 employees including 460 designers.

In July 1956, it changed its name to Shenyang Branch of Nonferrous Metallurgy Engineering Institute of Ministry of Metallurgical Industry. It begun to convert into professional Institute for aluminum and magnesium Smelting and nonferrous metal fabrication.

In December 1957, it called Shenyang Nonferrous Metallurgy Engineering Institute of Ministry of Metallurgical Industry with 1115 employees including 673 designers. It had twenty disciplines of alumina, aluminum reduction, carbon, fluorides, magnesium, titanium and metallurgical furnace.

In August 1958, it called Shenyang Aluminum and Magnesium Engineering Institute of Ministry of Metallurgical Industry with 1446 employees including 529 designers and mining discipline is added and nonferrous metal fabrication canceled.

In August 1959, it called Shenyang Aluminum and Magnesium Engineering and Research Institute of Ministry of Metallurgical Industry.

In July 1960, the Ministry of Metallurgical Industry decided to divide the Shenyang Institute into two parts, 378 employees were dispatched to Beijing and prepared to set up Beijing Aluminum and Magnesium Engineering Institute, then, the situation was changed and Beijing institute was not formed, all those people joined into Beijing Nonferrous Metallurgy Engineering Institute and then moved to Guiyang in 1965.

In September 1962, it called Shenyang Aluminum and Magnesium Engineering Institute of Ministry of Metallurgical Industry.

In December 1965, Ministry of Metallurgical Industry decided that dispatched some titanium and magnesium engineers from of Shenyang Institute to Guiyang and in turn; mine engineers from Guiyang Institute to Shenyang and principally stipulated that Shenyang Institute was in charge of the designs of aluminum industry on the north of Yangtze River and bauxite mines all over the country and Guiyang Institute was in charge of the designs of aluminum industry on the south of Yangtze River and magnesium and titanium plants all over the country.

In December 1968, approved by Shenyang Revolutionary Commission, Revolutionary Commission of Shenyang Aluminum and Magnesium Engineering Institute of Ministry of Metallurgical Industry was setup.

In November 1969, Ministry of Metallurgical Industry decided that the Institute would move to Yangquan City of Shanxi Province. Then, the situation was changed and it could not be realized.

In April 1972, according to the decision of Ministry of Metallurgical Industry the Institute was under the leadership of both the ministry and Liaoning Province and the Province as the main.

In December 1973, the Revolutionary Commission of Liaoning Province informed that it agreed that the Institute was led by the dual leadership, and the province as the main and managed by the Metallurgy Bureau of the province and the Shenyang City’s Commission led the party’s work. The name of the Institute was changed into Shenyang Aluminum and Magnesium Engineering Institute; the title of “Ministry of Metallurgical Industry” was canceled.

In August 1978, the Ministry of Metallurgical Industry decided to resume the former name of Shenyang Aluminum and Magnesium Engineering Institute of Ministry of Metallurgical Industry. Both the ministry and the province would lead the Institute and the ministry as the main.

In May 1979, it was called Shenyang Aluminum and Magnesium Engineering and Research Institute of Ministry of Metallurgical Industry.

In October 1981, the State Bureau Nonferrous Metal Industry was set up and the Institute was directly led by it.

In April 1983, China National Nonferrous Metal Industry Corporation was setup and the Institute was led by the corporation and in July of that year, it was informed the Institute that the title of “Ministry of Metallurgical Industry” was cancelled and the Institute was called Shenyang Aluminum and Magnesium Engineering Institute.

In April 1998, The China National Nonferrous Metal Industry Corporation was dismissed and the State Nonferrous Metal Industry Bureau was set up and the Institute was directly led by it.

In September 1999, the Institute was led by China Aluminum Industry Group.

In September 2000, the State Nonferrous Metal Industry Bureau was dismissed and the Economy and Trade Commission of Liaoning Province directly led the Institute.

In January 2002, Shenyang Aluminum and Magnesium Engineering and Research Institute was led by Aluminum Corporation of China directly.

In December 2003, Aluminum Corporation of China decided to form China Aluminum International Engineering Co., Ltd. (CHALIECO) through integrating Shenyang Aluminum and Magnesium Engineering and Research Institute and Guiyang Aluminum Magnesium Design and Research Institute. 

In March 2011, China Aluminum International Engineering Co., Ltd. (CHALIECO) was planned to list on the main board of the Hong Kong Exchanges, and Shenyang Aluminum and Magnesium Engineering and Research Institute was renamed into Shenyang Aluminum and Magnesium Engineering and Research Institute Company Limited.