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HSChapter 72
U.S. imports of ferroniobium (HS 720293) totaled $29.9M in April 2026, traded with 3 countries.
Last updated: April 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.
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.
| Country | Imports | Exports | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| BRAZIL | $22.2M | -- | -$22.2M |
| CANADA | $7.7M | $979K | -$6.7M |
| MEXICO | -- | -- | -- |
| UNITED KINGDOM | -- | -- | -- |
| BELGIUM | -- | -- | -- |
Monthly import values over time
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