CORRECTED - (OFFICIAL)-Peru April exports rise 10.5 pct as zinc sales surge

(Corrects figures throughout story after official correction from Promperu)

LIMA, May 24 (Reuters) - Peruvian exports rose 10.5 percent in April from a year earlier to $2.003 billion, thanks mainly to strong export sales of minerals, particularly of zinc, a state-run agency said on Thursday.

Mining exports jumped 11.2 percent in April to $1.325 billion -- or 66 percent of total earnings, Promperu, an agency that promotes exports, said.

Zinc exports more than doubled to $283 million, while copper sales abroad rose 16.7 percent to $554 million.

In contrast, gold exports fell 18.1 percent to $270 million compared with the same month a year earlier.

Mining is one of the economy's main drivers and regularly accounts for more than half of Peru's export earnings. The South American country is the world's No. 3 copper and zinc producer, a top-two silver producer and No. 5 in gold.

Peruvian exports in the first four months of the year rose to $7.54 billion, up 17 percent from the same period in 2006, said Promperu, formerly known as Prompex.

The United States accounted for 18.7 percent of Peruvian exports, followed by China, 13.5 percent; Switzerland, 9.2 percent, and Japan, 6.9 percent.