Oct 08, 2012 (Dow Jones) MOSCOW--Russia exported 2.5 times as much copper in the first eight months of the year as during the same period last year, responding to the surge in global demand. Nickel exports also soared.

The country exported 205,600 metric tons of copper from January through August, the federal customs service reported Monday. Those exports were valued at $1.553 billion, double the value of copper exports over the same period last year.

Nickel exports swelled to 168,500 metric tons, 1.9 times the amount exported during the first eight months of last year. The exported nickel increased 25.3% on the year to $2.878 billion.

Practically all the copper and nickel were exported to countries outside the Commonwealth of Independent States.

In 2011, Russia's copper exports fell 60.1% on the year, and nickel exports fell 18.7%.