U.S. exports of Silica Sands and Quartz Sands (SITC 27331) totaled $33.3M in August 2026.
Importers of Silica Sands and Quartz Sands paid $210K in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 8.12% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Silica Sands and Quartz Sands imports of $2.6M in August 2026 ran 43% above the year-to-date monthly average of $1.8M.
Last updated: August 2026 dataSilica and quartz sands are foundational industrial minerals used in glass manufacturing, hydraulic fracturing (frac sand), foundry casting, filtration systems, and semiconductor-grade silicon production — with purity and grain-size specifications varying sharply by end use. High-purity frac sand and glass-grade silica command premium pricing and distinct supply chains compared with lower-grade construction silica. Importers should be aware that certain silica sand operations and products may be subject to OSHA crystalline silica exposure regulations, which can affect handling and documentation requirements at the port of entry.
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103 import shipments a month
Both fall under the same SITC heading, but frac sand is graded primarily by crush resistance (K-value), roundness, and sphericity per API standards, while glass-grade silica requires very high SiO₂ purity (often above 99%) and tight iron-oxide limits. Foundry sand has its own AFS grain-fineness specifications. These distinctions affect pricing and supplier qualification but do not create separate tariff lines at the SITC level.
Silica sand is a bulk mineral commodity not currently subject to major Section 301 or antidumping orders in the US, but trade-remedy landscapes change. Importers sourcing from specific origins should verify current CBP guidance and any applicable country-of-origin requirements, particularly for high-purity or processed grades that may be classified differently.
Basic heading 36 of 239 in section 2
Basic heading 27331 · $33.3M of $7.8B
Exports · August 2026
destination
Canada and Japan together take 69% 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.
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ImportsExports
Imports
$2.6MYoY · free account
Exports
$33.3MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $22.2M of Silica Sands and Quartz Sands and exported $447.3M.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.