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SITCSection 6
U.S. imports of refined copper (SITC 68212) totaled $3.1B in July 2026, traded with 30 countries.
Importers of Refined Copper paid $1.5M in duties in July 2026 — an effective duty rate of 1.1% on $132.8M in dutiable value, based on actual customs collections rather than the published tariff schedule. Refined Copper imports of $3.1B in July 2026 ran 49% above the year-to-date monthly average of $2.0B.
Last updated: July 2026 dataElectrolytically refined copper — predominantly in cathode form at 99.99% purity — is the foundational commodity for wire rod mills, tube mills, and brass and bronze foundries across the US manufacturing base. Cathode copper is the benchmark product priced on the COMEX and London Metal Exchange, making import pricing tightly linked to global spot markets. Refined copper imports are subject to Section 232 tariffs, a factor that significantly influences sourcing decisions and the competitiveness of domestic smelter output versus imported cathodes.
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973 shipments/mo
Basic heading 1 of 766 in section 6
Basic heading 68212 · $3.1B of $26.7B
Refined copper imports are subject to Section 232 tariffs, which add to the landed cost of cathodes beyond the base duty rate. The tariff applies broadly to copper products, though specific product scope and any country-level exclusions or quota arrangements should be verified with a licensed customs broker at the time of entry, as the regulatory landscape can change.
Refined copper is copper that has been electrolytically processed to remove impurities, typically achieving 99.9% or higher copper content. The most common trade form is the electrolytic tough-pitch (ETP) cathode, but oxygen-free (OF) and phosphorus-deoxidized grades also qualify. The key classification boundary is that the copper must be refined — not alloyed with other metals — to remain in this heading rather than moving to the copper alloys headings.
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Imports · July 2026
origin
Chile and Democratic Republic of the Congo together supply 70% 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
$3.1BYoY · Pro
Exports
$199.2MYoY · Pro
12-mo low · imports
YoY · ProThrough July 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.