Loading...
SITCSection 2
U.S. imports of natural bitumen & asphalt; asphaltites & asphaltic rocks (SITC 27897) totaled $7.4M in July 2026, traded with 6 countries.
Natural Bitumen & Asphalt; Asphaltites & Asphaltic Rocks imports of $7.4M in July 2026 ran 146% above the year-to-date monthly average of $3.0M.
Last updated: July 2026 dataNaturally occurring bitumen, asphalt, asphaltites such as gilsonite, and asphaltic rocks are mineral-origin materials distinct from petroleum-derived bitumen produced in refineries. Gilsonite — a solid, naturally occurring asphaltite mined primarily in the Uinta Basin of Utah — is the most commercially significant product in this heading for US trade, valued for its use as a drilling-fluid additive, ink pigment binder, and asphalt modifier. Import activity under this heading tends to be limited given US domestic production, but specialty grades from specific geological deposits can command premium pricing based on softening point, solubility, and nitrogen content.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
10 shipments/mo
Basic heading 76 of 239 in section 2
Basic heading 27897 · $7.4M of $3.8B
Natural asphalt and bitumen occur in geological deposits without industrial refining — they are extracted as mineral substances. Petroleum-derived bitumen is a refinery residual product and classified under petroleum headings. The key documentation for customs purposes is evidence of geological origin (mine or deposit source) rather than a refinery production record.
Gilsonite and similar asphaltites serve several niche industrial markets: oil and gas drilling (as a shale-stabilizing additive in drilling muds), printing inks (as a carbon-black extender and binder), foundry sand binders, and high-performance asphalt modification. Each application may require different softening-point and solubility specifications, so buyers typically negotiate grade parameters directly with suppliers before shipment.
Supplier Network
Get discovered by U.S. importers searching for HS 27897 — Natural Bitumen & Asphalt; Asphaltites & Asphaltic Rocks. Be the first supplier listed.
Imports · July 2026
origin
Colombia and Argentina together supply 100% of it.
customs district
Census does not publish district detail for this classification system.
destination
Census does not publish state detail for this classification system.
entry
Census does not publish port detail for this classification system.
ImportsExports
Imports
$7.4MYoY · Pro
Exports
$2.6MYoY · Pro
12-mo low · imports
YoY · ProThrough July 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.