U.S. imports of Sodium and Other Alkali Metals (SITC 52228) totaled $1.8M in August 2026, imported from 4 countries.
Importers of Sodium and Other Alkali Metals paid $215K in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 12.15% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Sodium and Other Alkali Metals imports of $1.8M in August 2026 ran 16% above the year-to-date monthly average of $1.5M.
Last updated: August 2026 dataAlkali metals — sodium, lithium, potassium, rubidium, and cesium — are among the most reactive elements and are traded in highly controlled conditions due to their violent reaction with water and air. Sodium metal is used in chemical synthesis and as a heat-transfer medium in certain nuclear reactors, while lithium metal (distinct from lithium compounds) is a critical input for battery anode research and specialty alloys. All alkali metals require DOT-compliant packaging under inert atmospheres or mineral oil, and importers must treat them as dangerous goods throughout the supply chain.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
33 import shipments a month
Lithium metal (elemental lithium) is classified here as an alkali metal and is used in specialty battery anodes, alloys, and chemical synthesis. Lithium compounds — such as lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide, which are the primary feedstocks for lithium-ion battery cathodes — are classified in separate chemical headings. The distinction is commercially significant because supply chains, pricing, and trade remedy exposure differ substantially between the two.
Sodium metal is classified as a dangerous good (flammable solid, water-reactive) under DOT and IMDG regulations. It must be shipped in hermetically sealed containers under an inert atmosphere or submerged in mineral oil, with appropriate UN-specification packaging, hazard placards, and emergency response documentation. Air transport is generally prohibited.
Basic heading 376 of 465 in section 5
Basic heading 52228 · $1.8M of $27.5B
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Imports · August 2026
origin
France and China together supply 100% 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
$1.8MYoY · free account
Exports
$108KYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $17.6M of Sodium and Other Alkali Metals and exported $1.8M.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.