U.S. imports of Vermiculite, Perlite and Chlorites, Unexpanded (HS 253010) totaled $2.3M in August 2026, imported from 14 countries.
Importers of Vermiculite, Perlite and Chlorites, Unexpanded paid $207K in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 9.20% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule.
Last updated: August 2026 dataUnexpanded vermiculite and perlite are thermally inert minerals that, once heat-treated, expand dramatically into lightweight insulating or horticultural media — but in their raw, unexpanded form they are classified here under 2530100000. Greece is the leading US supplier of unexpanded perlite, reflecting the country's extensive volcanic deposits, with South Africa a major source of raw vermiculite. Importers should note that the 'unexpanded' condition is the classification trigger: material that has already been exfoliated or expanded moves to a different HTS heading, so physical condition at time of import must be clearly documented.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
28 import shipments a month
Expanded or exfoliated vermiculite and expanded perlite are classified under different HTS headings than their unexpanded counterparts. If a shipment contains material that has undergone any thermal expansion — even partial — CBP may reclassify it, resulting in a different duty rate and potential penalties for misclassification. Importers should request supplier confirmation that the product is in its natural, unexpanded state and document this on the commercial invoice.
US perlite expansion plants import raw ore to process domestically, supplying the construction insulation, filtration, and horticulture industries. Importing in unexpanded form is economically efficient because expansion increases volume dramatically — shipping expanded material would be far less cost-effective. This processing model means most US perlite imports enter as raw ore under 2530100000 rather than as finished expanded product.
Subheading 2 of 3 in heading 2530
Subheading 253010 · $2.3M of $9.6M
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2530100000 | Vermiculite, Perlite and Chlorites, Unexpanded | $2.3M | 9.20% | 86.01% | $207K |
HS10 export codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Schedule B export classification.
| Code | Description | Export Value |
|---|---|---|
| 2530100000 | Vermiculite, Perlite and Chlorites, Unexpanded | $663K |
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
$2.3MYoY · free account
Exports
$663KYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $27.8M of Vermiculite, Perlite and Chlorites, Unexpanded and exported $8.3M.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
Imports · August 2026
origin
Greece and Uganda together supply 89% of it. Brazil pays 37.5% duty; Uganda 0.0%.
customs district
entry
rate provision · imports
13.7% enters free of duty; duty collected equals 9.20% of imports for consumption.