U.S. exports of Wrought Cobalt and Articles of Cobalt, N.E.S. (SITC 69981) totaled $25.8M in August 2026.
Importers of Wrought Cobalt and Articles of Cobalt, N.E.S. paid $430K in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 6.55% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Wrought Cobalt and Articles of Cobalt, N.E.S. imports of $6.6M in August 2026 ran 16% above the year-to-date monthly average of $5.7M.
Last updated: August 2026 dataCobalt's designation as a critical mineral by the US government reflects its indispensable role in lithium-ion battery cathodes, superalloy turbine blades, and hard-metal cutting tools — end uses that make supply-chain provenance a strategic concern alongside tariff classification. Wrought cobalt and fabricated cobalt articles not elsewhere specified are traded in relatively small volumes compared to other base metals, but their high unit value and critical-mineral status attract close attention from both trade compliance and supply-chain risk teams. Importers should be aware that cobalt sourcing geography is highly concentrated, and origin documentation is essential for both classification and downstream due-diligence requirements.
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309 import shipments a month
The US government's critical-mineral list signals strategic supply vulnerability, which can trigger enhanced scrutiny of sourcing geography, potential future trade measures, and downstream due-diligence requirements from customers in defense or battery manufacturing. Importers should maintain detailed origin and chain-of-custody documentation.
Classification follows the predominant metal by weight. Many superalloys contain nickel or iron as the base, with cobalt as an alloying element; such articles are typically classified under nickel or iron/steel headings rather than as cobalt articles. Only articles where cobalt is the predominant metal fall under this heading.
Basic heading 111 of 766 in section 6
Basic heading 69981 · $25.8M of $13.0B
ImportsExports
Imports
$6.6MYoY · free account
Exports
$25.8MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $67.5M of Wrought Cobalt and Articles of Cobalt, N.E.S. and exported $274.4M.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
Exports · August 2026
destination
customs district
Census does not publish district detail for this classification system.
origin
Census does not publish state detail for this classification system.
entry
Census does not publish port detail for this classification system.
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