ICSG trims 2011 copper market deficit to 377,000 T

* ICSG sees 2011 copper market in 377,000-tonne deficit

* China's 2011 apparent consumption pegged at 6 pct

* Market deficit to narrow in 2012

(Adds details, table)

NEW YORK, April 15 (Reuters) - The International Copper Study Group (ICSG) trimmed its 2011 global copper market deficit forecast to 377,000 tonnes, about 20,000 tonnes narrower than its previous forecast in October 2010.

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"Industrial demand in 2011 in all of the major consuming regions is expected to continue the upward trend begun in 2010 and exceed the growth in refined production," the ICSG said in a note on Friday.

China's apparent consumption growth rate in 2011 is projected to be around 6 percent, up from 4.3 percent in 2010 and unchanged from the October forecast.

"An anticipated growth in semifabricate production and possible restocking of working inventories could be partially offset by greater reliance on direct melt scrap and potential drawdown of unreported inventories that likely accumulated in preceding years," the group said, regarding Chinese demand.

China is the world's top consumer of copper, accounting for about 40 percent of total demand.

The group also reversed its 2010 forecast to show a 250,000 tonne production deficit, compared with a previous estimate of a 200,000 tonne surplus.

In 2012, the production deficit is seen narrowing further as an increase in refined copper production is expected to grow faster than demand.

 MINE PRODUCTION (in thousand tonnes)
 Region/year            2010          2011         2012
 Africa                1,315         1,428        1,655
 N. America            1,915         2,173        2,433
 Latina America        7,031         7,383        7,617
 Asean-10              1,089           863          844
 Asia ex-Asean/CIS     1,661         1,750        1,904
 Asia-CIS                491           506          532
 EU-27                   758           790          812
 Europe Others           826           843          857
 Oceania               1,011         1,097        1,250
 Total/world          16,097        16,833       17,904
 Percent change         0.93          4.57         6.37
 REFINED PRODUCTION (thousand tonnes)
 Region/year            2010          2011         2012
 Africa                  857         1,082        1,249
 N. America            1,690         1,843        1,953
 Latina America        3,893         3,997        4,077
 Asean-10                534           567          601
 Asia ex-Asean/CIS     7,591         7,930        8,620
 Asia-CIS                413           468          515
 EU-27                 2,613         2,706        2,778
 Europe Others         1,053         1,072        1,087
 Oceania                 417           499          509
 Total                19,061        20,164       21,390
 World                19,061        19,724*      20,686*
 Percent change         4.43          3.48         4.88
 * Allowance for disruptions
 REFINED USAGE (thousand tonnes)
 Region/year            2010          2011         2012
 Africa                  285           277          303
 N. America            2,182         2,270        2,355
 Latina America          632           652          675
 Asean-10                748           775          806
 Asia ex-Asean/CIS    11,054        11,601       12,196
 Asia-CIS                 96           100          104
 EU-27                 3,332         3,429        3,491
 Europe Others           856           865          900
 Oceania                 128           132          135
 Total/world          19,314        20,102       20,965
 Percent change         6.76          4.08         4.30
 Source for tables: ICSG
 (Reporting by Chris Kelly; editing by Jim Marshall)

(Source: http://af.reuters.com/article/metalsNews/idAFN1553099420110415)