* Dollar at highest in three months * Freeport Indonesia mine worker have not returned to work * Coming up: U.S. international trade balance; 1230 GMT By Susan Thomas LONDON, July 12 (Reuters) - Copper fell on Tuesday on a deepening debt crisis in the euro zone that has prompted investors to off-load assets perceived as risky, including the euro currency, but strikes in top producer countries helped limit further losses. Investors dumped the euro, peripheral euro zone government debt, and European shares on Tuesday as officials struggled to contain fears that the euro zone debt crisis was spreading to Italy and Spain. "The market is definitely in a risk-off mode, the euro is being hammered, which is putting pressure on the base metals," Credit Agricole analyst Robin Bhar said. "But although there is a toxic mix of worries about global growth, the debt crisis and stronger dollar, commodities are showing surprising resilience. Clearly the risk is for the downside, but I'm impressed by the resilience," he added. Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange was down 0.4 percent at $9,535 at 1029 GMT, from a close of $9,570 at the close on Monday, and some 7 percent off a record high $10,190 hit in February. The dollar hit its highest against a basket of currencies in more than three months , as the euro sank to a four-month low against the greenback. A stronger dollar makes commodities more expensive for holders of other currencies. "While these concerns may lead to a temporary period of profit taking in the cyclical metals space, metals specific demand indications offered further signs on strength," Credit Suisse said in a research note. The bank pointed to China trade data, which showed a 9.9 percent rise to 280,000 in copper imports in June, snapping two months of falls. A day-long strike at Chile's Codelco, the world's top copper miner, was unlikely to hurt production, but it raised the risk of more labour strife, which helped support the metal price. And workers have yet to return to Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold's Indonesia mine as they wait for the outcome of further talks between the union and the firm's local CEO before ending their strike, union officials told Reuters on Tuesday. ALUMINIUM Aluminium fell to its lowest since January, at $2,451 per tonne, hurt by a fall in China imports and a weaker oil price. The metal closed on Monday below the 200-day moving average of $2,498. "This is quite bearish and we are suggesting a close below the head and shoulders neckline at $2,479 would confirm a much deeper sell off is on the cards," RBC Base Metals said in a research note. Inventories of aluminium continue to fall. Headline stocks are down by 6,500 tonnes net, latest data showed. The energy-intensive light metal was $2,469 at 1123 GMT from $2,478 at the close on Monday. Tin was at $ 26,300 from $ 26,600 at the close on Monday, while zinc was at $ 2,330 from $ 2,310 . Lead was at $2,658 from $ 2,676 . Metal Prices at 1020 GMT Comex copper in cents/lb, LME prices in $/T and SHFE prices in yuan/T Metal Last Change Pct Move End 2010 Ytd Pct move COMEX Cu 432.80 -3.45 -0.79 444.70 -2.68 LME Alum 2477.00 -1.00 -0.04 2470.00 0.28 LME Cu 9570.00 0.00 +0.00 9600.00 -0.31 LME Lead 2676.00 0.00 +0.00 2550.00 4.94 LME Nickel 23220.00 -670.00 -2.80 24750.00 -6.18 LME Tin 26575.00 -25.00 -0.09 26900.00 -1.21 LME Zinc 2311.00 1.00 +0.04 2454.00 -5.83 SHFE Alu 17250.00 -75.00 -0.43 16840.00 2.43 SHFE Cu* 71130.00 -340.00 -0.48 71850.00 -1.00 SHFE Zin 17895.00 -65.00 -0.36 19475.00 -8.11 ** Benchmark month for COMEX copper * 3rd contract month for SHFE AL, CU and ZN SHFE ZN began trading on 26/3/07 (Editing by James Jukwey)

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