U.S. imports of Ferroniobium (HS 720293) totaled $31.1M in August 2026, imported from 4 countries.
Importers of Ferroniobium paid $1.3M in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 4.03% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule.
Last updated: August 2026 dataNiobium's powerful grain-refining and precipitation-strengthening effects — active at addition rates below 0.1% — make ferroniobium one of the most widely used microalloying agents in HSLA structural and pipeline steels. The US tariff schedule subdivides this heading by impurity thresholds: 7202934000 covers material with less than 0.02% phosphorus or sulfur, or less than 0.4% silicon, while 7202938000 covers other ferroniobium. Brazil dominates global ferroniobium supply and leads US imports by a wide margin, reflecting the concentration of the world's niobium ore reserves in that country; Canada is a secondary source.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
41 import shipments a month
The subdivision reflects the steel industry's sensitivity to tramp impurities: phosphorus and sulfur degrade toughness and weldability in HSLA and pipeline steels, while silicon content affects deoxidation balance. The impurity-based split (7202934000 vs. 7202938000) allows customs to differentiate higher-purity grades used in demanding applications from standard commercial grades, and importers must have certified chemical analyses to support the correct line.
Columbium is the older North American name for the element niobium; the two names refer to the same element. Ferrocolumbium and ferroniobium are therefore the same product, and all such material is classified under heading 720293 regardless of which name appears on commercial documents. Importers using older trade documentation that references columbium should ensure the HTS code reflects the current nomenclature.
Subheading 3 of 15 in heading 7202
Subheading 720293 · $31.1M of $236.1M
Trade Directory
List your company under HS 720293 — Ferroniobium, so the companies trading it can find you. Be the first supplier listed.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7202938000 | Ferroniobium, NESOI | $21.8M | 3.60% | 65.67% | $785K |
| 7202934000 | Ferroniobium, Cont Lt 0.02 % P or S or Lt 0.4% Si | $9.9M | 5.00% | 100.00% | $493K |
HS10 export codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Schedule B export classification.
| Code | Description | Export Value |
|---|---|---|
| 7202930000 | Ferroniobium | $3.5M |
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.
ImportsExports
Imports
$31.1MYoY · free account
Exports
$3.5MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $356.1M of Ferroniobium and exported $21.9M.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
Imports · August 2026
origin
Brazil and Canada together supply 100% of it.
customs district
destination
entry
rate provision · imports
24.1% enters free of duty; duty collected equals 4.03% of imports for consumption.