U.S. exports of other mineral waxes (nesoi) (HS 271290) totaled $22.9M in July 2026.
Importers of Other Mineral Waxes (NESOI) paid $74K in duties in July 2026 — an effective duty rate of 18% on $409K in dutiable value, based on actual customs collections rather than the published tariff schedule. Other Mineral Waxes (NESOI) imports of $11.9M in July 2026 ran 36% above the year-to-date monthly average of $8.7M.
Last updated: July 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.
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381 shipments/mo
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.
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Subheading 2 of 3 in heading 2712
Subheading 271290 · $11.9M of $22.1M
ImportsExports
Imports
$11.9MYoY · Pro
Exports
$22.9MYoY · Pro
12-mo low · imports
YoY · ProThrough July 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
HS10 import codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
| Code | Description | Import Value | Effective Tariff % | Dutiable Share | Duty Collected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2712902000 | Mineral Waxes, NESOI | $7.7M | 1.17% | 4.92% | $90K |
| 2712901000 | Montan Wax | $803K | 0.59% | 5.93% | $5K |
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 | $20.8M |
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.
Exports · July 2026
destination
Canada and Japan together take 70% of it.
customs district
origin
entry
rate provision · imports
96.3% enters free of duty; the effective duty rate is 0.62%.