LONDON, Aug 17, 2011 (Dow Jones) -- The world aluminum market was in surplus of 221,300 metric tons in the first six months of the year, the World Bureau of Metal Statistics said Wednesday.

This compares with a surplus of 512,600 tons in the same period the year before.

Demand for primary aluminum in the first six months of 2011 was 21.06 million tons, 872,000 tons more than in the same period the previous year.

Production in January to June rose by 578,000 tons following a 3.9 million-ton increase over the whole of 2010. The WBMS didn't provide a production figure for the year-earlier period.