Purpose　The　objectives　of　this　study　were　to　establish　an　allocation　model　for　the　energy　consumption　of　pyro-metallurgical　system　based　on　the　physical　relationship　between　the　input　and　output,　apply　the　established　model　to　nickel　production　in　China　and　compare　the　difference　between　the　allocation　results　derived　from　the　established　model　and　the　traditional　models.　Methods　The　basic　methodological　idea　of　this　study　is　that　the　energy　input　of　a　multi-output　pyro-metallurgical　process　should　be　allocated　according　to　how　the　energy　input　is　consumed　in　the　process.　The　energy　consumption　of　pyro-metallurgical　system　was　decomposed　into　different　categories　(e.g.　energy　absorption　of　chemical　reaction　and　energy　loss),　and　these　categories　were　classified　into　two　groups,　i.e.　the　categories　of　energy　consumption　dependent　on　the　product　ratio　(PRDE)　and　the　categories　of　energy　consumption　independent　on　the　product　ratio　(PRIE);　then,　the　allocation　basis　for　each　category　of　energy　consumption　was　determined　through　the　physical　relationship　between　the　energy　input　and　metal　output.　The　allocation　for　the　energy　consumption　of　nickel　production　in　China　was　carried　out;　the　system　boundary　includes　two　sub-systems　(i.e.　Ni-Cu　coproduction　system　and　Ni　refining　system),　and　the　energy　consumption　of　the　coproduction　system　should　be　allocated;　the　basic　data　required　by　the　allocation　model　and　the　compilation　of　LCI　were　mainly　obtained　from　literature.　Results　and　discussion　The　energy　consumption　of　the　processes　of　mining,　drying,　converting　and　floating-grinding　belongs　to　PRIE　following　the　principle　of　mass-based　allocation,　and　the　corresponding　allocation　factors　are　64,　64,　69　and　69　%,　respectively.　The　categories　of　energy　consumption　involved　in　the　smelting　process　(the　key　process　for　demonstrating　the　allocation　model)　include　both　PRIE　and　PRDE,　and　the　aggregated　allocation　factor　was　calculated　as　56　%.　The　allocation　result　derived　from　the　established　model　is　lower　than　the　results　derived　from　the　mass-based　model　and　the　market　value-based　model,　because　that,　through　the　desulphurization　reactions　that　occurred　in　the　smelting　process,　the　chemical　states　of　copper　and　nickel　are　transformed　from　copper　pyrite　(CuFeS2)　and　nicopyrite　((Fe,　Ni)(9)S-8)　into　cuprous　sulphide　(Cu2S)　and　nickel　sulphide　(Ni3S2),　and　copper　compound　releases　more　sulphur　atoms　than　nickel　compound.　When　analyzing　a　single　pyro-metallurgical　process,　the　result　of　allocation　is　sensitive　to　basis　selection;　however,　when　comparing　two　or　more　pyro-metallurgical　processes,　the　comparison　result　of　allocation　is　relatively　insensitive　to　basis　selection.　Conclusions　The　energy　input　of　pyro-metallurgical　system　is　consumed　in　different　physical-chemical　ways;　the　decomposition　of　energy　consumption　is　significant　for　choosing　allocation　bases;　the　basis　of　mass　can　only　be　used　for　the　allocation　of　PRIE,　and　choosing　the　same　allocation　basis　for　different　cases　without　a　systematic　analysis　will　be　inappropriate.　The　requirement　of　some　nontraditional　extra　inventory　data　is　the　major　limitation　of　the　established　model.　This　study　mainly　focused　on　how　nickel　production　system　consumes　the　energy　input,　and　the　energy　consumption　patterns　of　other　production　systems　should　be　taken　into　account　in　future　studies.