LONDON, Feb. 21 -- The global refined zinc market was in surplus of 264,000 metric tons last year, the International Lead and Zinc Study Group said Monday.

The gap was smaller than the 446,000-ton surplus the year before, the ILZSG said.

In 2010, total production reached 12.764 million tons of refined zinc, while consumption was recorded at 12.500 million tons, it said.

The refined zinc market was in an 75,000-ton surplus in the western world during the same period, with output of 6.680 million tons and demand of 6.605 million tons.