U.S. exports of Supported Catalysts with Precious Metal or Precious Metal Compounds as Active Substances (SITC 59883) totaled $191.9M in August 2026.
Importers of Supported Catalysts with Precious Metal or Precious Metal Compounds as Active Substances paid $3.0M in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 2.76% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule.
Last updated: August 2026 dataPlatinum, palladium, rhodium, and ruthenium supported on alumina, carbon, or zeolite carriers form the backbone of automotive catalytic converters, pharmaceutical hydrogenation, and fuel-cell electrode technology. The precious metal content — often a fraction of a percent by weight — dominates the product's value, making accurate declaration of metal loading and carrier weight essential for both customs valuation and duty calculation. These catalysts are also subject to robust secondary-market recovery, and spent catalyst trade flows are separately regulated as they may contain hazardous residues.
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373 import shipments a month
Because the precious metal component can represent the majority of transaction value, importers should document the metal loading (grams per liter or weight percent) and the spot price used at the time of sale. CBP may scrutinize related-party transactions or consignment arrangements closely; using published precious-metal price indices as a reference in the commercial invoice helps support the declared value.
Yes. Spent precious-metal catalysts may be classified as hazardous waste under EPA/RCRA regulations depending on their contaminant profile, and international shipments may require Basel Convention consent procedures. Fresh and spent catalysts also carry different HTS classifications, so the condition of the material at the time of shipment must be accurately declared.
Basic heading 18 of 465 in section 5
Basic heading 59883 · $191.9M of $26.2B
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Exports · August 2026
destination
Mexico and India together take 67% 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
$109.6MYoY · free account
Exports
$191.9MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $1.1B of Supported Catalysts with Precious Metal or Precious Metal Compounds as Active Substances and exported $1.7B.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.