U.S. exports of Other Mineral Waxes (NESOI) (HS 271290) totaled $18.5M in August 2026.
Importers of Other Mineral Waxes (NESOI) paid $141K in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 0.98% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Other Mineral Waxes (NESOI) imports of $14.3M in August 2026 ran 51% above the year-to-date monthly average of $9.4M.
Last updated: August 2026 dataMontan wax — a lignite-derived wax prized for its hardness and high melting point — is explicitly broken out at the 10-digit level (2712901000) within this residual heading, alongside two broader NESOI lines (2712900000 and 2712902000) covering ozokerite, ceresin, and other petroleum-derived waxes not elsewhere specified. These specialty waxes serve niche industrial roles in polishes, electrical insulation, and carbon paper manufacturing where paraffin's softer profile is inadequate. Canada and Spain are the leading US import sources, with Germany and South Africa also contributing. The heading's catch-all nature means classification disputes are common when products sit at the boundary between mineral waxes and refined petroleum products.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
393 import shipments a month
Montan wax is extracted from lignite (brown coal) by solvent extraction and is chemically distinct from petroleum-derived paraffin or microcrystalline waxes. Its unique ester-wax composition and high melting point make it commercially significant for industrial polishes, PVC lubricants, and leather finishes. CBP separates it at the 10-digit level (2712901000) to enable more precise trade monitoring of this specialty product.
The key distinction is the nature of the base material: heading 271290 covers mineral waxes in their own right (including blends of waxes), while heading 271500 covers bituminous mixtures where natural asphalt, petroleum bitumen, or mineral tar is the functional base. If the product's primary character derives from a wax rather than a bituminous binder, 271290 is generally correct, but a binding ruling from CBP is advisable for ambiguous blends.
Subheading 1 of 3 in heading 2712
Subheading 271290 · $18.5M of $34.6M
Trade Directory
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2712902000 | Mineral Waxes, NESOI | $13.4M | 0.94% | 6.26% | $126K |
| 2712901000 | Montan Wax | $890K | 1.62% | 16.19% | $14K |
HS10 export codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Schedule B export classification.
| Code | Description | Export Value |
|---|---|---|
| 2712900000 | Mineral Waxes, NESOI | $18.5M |
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
$14.3MYoY · free account
Exports
$18.5MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $111.3M of Other Mineral Waxes (NESOI) and exported $214.9M.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
Exports · August 2026
destination
Canada and Mexico together take 73% of it.
customs district
entry
rate provision · imports
93.0% enters free of duty; duty collected equals 0.98% of imports for consumption.