U.S. Issues Preliminary Antidumping Ruling on Silicon Metal From Australia
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Date: 2026-02-09
The U.S. Department of Commerce has made a preliminary decision in an antidumping investigation involving silicon metal from Australia.
Commerce found that silicon metal from Australia is being sold in the U.S. at less than fair value.
The agency’s findings are based on the period of investigation from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025.
This decision was made under section 733(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930.
The preliminary decision was delayed several times. Delays were due to a government shutdown, filing system backlogs, and office closures from bad weather.
The new preliminary determination date became January 28, 2026.
Commerce examined one company: Simcoa Operations Pty Ltd.
Simcoa was the only exporter and producer investigated individually.
The estimated weighted-average dumping margin for Simcoa was found to be 6.28%.
Because no zero or de minimis margin was found, this same margin—6.28%—will apply to all other Australian exporters and producers.
The subject product includes all forms and sizes of silicon metal, including powder.
It must contain at least 85% but less than 99.99% silicon by weight.
It must also contain less than 4% iron by weight.
Semiconductor-grade silicon, with at least 99.99% silicon, is excluded.
The affected merchandise is classified under HTSUS subheadings 2804.69.1000 and 2804.69.5000.
Although HTSUS headings are listed, the written product description controls.
Commerce used export price data under section 772(a) and constructed export prices under section 772(b) of the Tariff Act.
Normal value was calculated under section 773.
Commerce also used partial facts available under section 776(a)(1).
No parties commented on the product scope after the initiation of the investigation.
Thus, the scope remains unchanged from the original notice.
Suspension of liquidation is now in effect.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will suspend liquidation of affected imports entered on or after the publication date.
CBP will also collect cash deposits equal to the dumping margins.
There will be no offset to cash deposit rates for countervailing duty provisions, as Commerce found no countervailable export subsidies in the related investigation.
Commerce will release the calculations used in this determination within five days of publication.
Verification of company information will occur under section 782(i)(1) of the Act.
Parties may submit case briefs after the last verification report is released.
Rebuttal briefs will be due five days after case briefs.
All briefs must include a table of contents and a table of authorities.
Commerce is requesting that parties include an executive summary for each issue of no more than 450 words.
If a hearing is requested, it must be submitted within 30 days of this notice.
Commerce will announce the time and date of any hearing.
Simcoa and the petitioners, Ferroglobe USA, Inc. and Mississippi Silicon LLC, requested a postponement of the final determination.
Commerce accepted the request to extend the final finding date and provisional measures from four months to a maximum of six months.
The final determination will be issued no later than 135 days after this notice.
If the final determination is affirmative, the International Trade Commission will review whether U.S. industry is being harmed.
This action follows U.S. laws set forth in the Tariff Act of 1930 and related regulations.
This notice was signed on January 28, 2026, by Deputy Assistant Secretary Christopher Abbott, on behalf of the Enforcement and Compliance division at the U.S. Department of Commerce.
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