<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2011-03-22</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000949157</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CENTURY ALUMINUM CO</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CENX</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001200090</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SCHNEIDER STEVE</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>CENTURY ALUMINUM COMPANY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2511 GARDEN ROAD, BLDG A, SUITE 200</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MONTEREY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>93940</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Sr. VP &amp; Chief Acct. Officer</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-03-22</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5158</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>30502</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents shares of common stock acquired by the Reporting Person upon the vesting of performance share units granted pursuant to the Issuer's 2011-2013 Performance Share Program (&quot;Plan Period&quot;) under a Rule 16b-3(d) plan, all of which vest in the ordinary course on the last day of the Plan Period, December 31, 2013.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes unvested shares of performance share units granted to the Reporting Person in connection with the Issuer's 2010-2012 and 2011-2013 Performance Share Programs under a Rule 16b-3(d) plan, all of which vest in the ordinary course on December 31, 2012 and December 31, 2013, respectively.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Jesse E. Gary, Attorney-in-Fact for Steve Schneider</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-03-24</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
