Harmonized System
U.S. imports of Alkali & Alkaline-Earth Metals (Except Sodium) — Including Lithium, Barium & Strontium (HS 280519) totaled $2.9M in August 2026, imported from 13 countries.
Importers of Alkali & Alkaline-Earth Metals (Except Sodium) — Including Lithium, Barium & Strontium paid $266K in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 9.24% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Alkali & Alkaline-Earth Metals (Except Sodium) — Including Lithium, Barium & Strontium imports of $2.9M in August 2026 ran 33% above the year-to-date monthly average of $2.2M.
Last updated: August 2026 dataHeading 280519 groups several commercially distinct alkali and alkaline-earth metals — lithium, strontium, barium, and others — that share reactive metallic character but serve very different markets. The US schedule is notably granular: lithium metal enters under 2805199010, barium under 2805192000, strontium under 2805191000, and residual metals under 2805199090, reflecting the separate trade significance of each element. China leads US import supply across this heading, followed by Germany and South Korea, and lithium metal in particular is a strategically watched commodity given its role in battery anodes and chemical synthesis. Importers of lithium metal should assess Section 301 exposure on Chinese-origin goods and monitor critical-minerals policy developments that could affect supply-chain planning.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
12 import shipments a month
Within heading 280519, lithium metal is specifically provided for under 2805199010, barium under 2805192000, and strontium under 2805191000. A combined strontium-barium product enters under 2805193050. Metals not specifically enumerated — such as rubidium or cesium — fall under the residual line 2805199090. Correct classification requires knowing the precise elemental identity and, for mixtures, the composition.
Heading 280519 covers only elemental lithium metal in its reduced, unalloyed form. Lithium carbonate, lithium hydroxide, and other lithium salts are classified in Chapter 28 under their respective compound headings, while lithium-ion battery cells and packs fall in Chapter 85. The distinction matters because trade-remedy orders and critical-minerals policies often apply differently across these separate classifications.
Subheading 2 of 5 in heading 2805
Subheading 280519 · $2.9M of $12.0M
HS10 import codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
| Code | Description | Imports for consumption | Average duty rate | Dutiable Share | Duty Collected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2805199010 | Alkali Metals or Alkaline-Earth Metals, Lithium | $2.1M | 0.08% | 100.00% | $2K |
| 2805199090 | Alkali Metals or Alkaline-Earth Metals, Not Elsewh | $388K | 30.50% | 100.00% | $118K |
| 2805191000 | Strontium | $353K | 41.20% | 100.00% | $145K |
| 2805192000 | Barium | $44K | 0.00% | 0.00% | -- |
HS10 export codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Schedule B export classification.
| Code | Description | Export Value |
|---|---|---|
| 2805199000 | Alkali Metals or Alkaline-Earth Metals NESOI | $339K |
| 2805193050 | Strontium and Barium | $270K |
Import lines come from the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule and export lines from Schedule B. The two are numbered by different agencies, so the same 10-digit code can appear in both tables describing a different product.
Trade Directory
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ImportsExports
Imports
$2.9MYoY · free account
Exports
$609KYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $22.6M of Alkali & Alkaline-Earth Metals (Except Sodium) — Including Lithium, Barium & Strontium and exported $27.1M.
Imports · August 2026
origin
China and Germany together supply 98% of it. China pays 17.9% duty; United Kingdom 0.0%.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
customs district
destination
entry
rate provision · imports
1.5% enters free of duty; duty collected equals 9.24% of imports for consumption.