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SITCSection 2
U.S. imports of natural bitumen & asphalt; asphaltites & asphaltic rocks (SITC 27897) totaled $72K in April 2026, traded with 5 countries.
Natural Bitumen & Asphalt; Asphaltites & Asphaltic Rocks imports of $72K in April 2026 ran 95% below the year-to-date monthly average of $1.5M.
Last updated: April 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.
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.
Monthly import values over time
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