U.S. exports of Expanded Mineral Materials (Exfoliated Vermiculite, Expanded Clays, Foamed Slag) (SITC 66352) totaled $3.5M in August 2026.
Importers of Expanded Mineral Materials (Exfoliated Vermiculite, Expanded Clays, Foamed Slag) paid $202K in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 8.39% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule.
Last updated: August 2026 dataExfoliated vermiculite, expanded clays (such as lightweight aggregate), and foamed slag are heat-processed mineral materials whose expanded cellular structure gives them low density and insulating properties valued in horticulture, construction lightweight aggregate, and passive fire protection. Vermiculite in particular has a dual commercial identity — traded both as a horticultural growing medium and as an industrial insulation fill — and the end-use context can influence classification at the HTS level. Expanded clay aggregate (often marketed as LECA) is a growing import category driven by green-building and hydroponic applications.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
142 import shipments a month
Both horticultural and industrial vermiculite in exfoliated form generally fall under this heading, but the grade, particle size, and packaging may influence the specific HTS subheading. Importers should confirm the intended use and physical specification with their customs broker, as some horticultural mineral media may trigger additional USDA APHIS review at the port of entry.
Lightweight expanded clay aggregate (LECA) is produced by firing clay at high temperatures until it expands into porous pellets. It is used as a drainage layer in green roofs, as a hydroponic growing medium, and as lightweight structural fill. Growing demand from sustainable construction and urban farming has increased import volumes, with production concentrated in Europe and parts of Asia.
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Exports · August 2026
destination
Canada and Japan together take 59% of it.
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.
ImportsExports
Imports
$2.4MYoY · free account
Exports
$3.5MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $24.6M of Expanded Mineral Materials (Exfoliated Vermiculite, Expanded Clays, Foamed Slag) and exported $55.3M.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
Basic heading 66352 · $3.5M of $13.0B