The U.S. Department of Commerce decided to impose preliminary duties of 47.54% on all silicon metal imports from Iceland, Bosnia, and Herzegovina.

The announcement is the latest development in the ongoing investigations of unfairly-traded silicon metal imports from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Malaysia, and Kazakhstan.

The U.S. based subsidiary of Ferroglobe PLC  – Globe Specialty Metals, Inc. (GSM) – and Mississippi Silicon LLC (M.S.) welcomed the announcement.

On June 30, 2020, GSM and M.S. had filed petitions to stop silicon metal producers in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Malaysia, and Kazakhstan from selling dumped and unfairly subsidized silicon metal imports into the United States.

In their petitions, the companies asked the Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) to impose duties to offset unfair pricing and subsidies. In August, the ITC preliminarily determined that imports from all four countries cause material injury to the U.S. industry.

The latest decision closely follows an announcement where the Department of Commerce had imposed preliminary duties up to 120% on all silicon metal imports from Kazakhstan. Preliminary determinations will be announced in the Malaysia investigation on January 27, 2021.

GSM and M.S., together represent the majority of American silicon metal production.

Silicon is an important element added to various grades of aluminum alloys used in performance applications such as automotive components, aerospace products, and as a base material in polysilicon production – a purified form of silicon used in solar cells and semiconductors.

Marco Levi, chief executive officer (CEO) of Ferroglobe, said, “The fact that suppliers in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Iceland have distorted the market has made it difficult for us to compete. Like the duties recently imposed on imports from Kazakhstan, these duties will level the playing field and restore real, honest competition. We appreciate the diligent efforts by the Commerce Department to see that the trade rules are followed.”

Eddie Boardwine, chief operations officer (COO) of M.S., said, “The Commerce Department’s actions to address unfairly-traded imports from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Iceland come as good news to our business, our workers, and our entire industry. We greatly appreciate the government’s efforts to stop unfair trade practices and look forward to seeing conditions in the U.S. market reflect free and fair trade of silicon metal.”

Previously, the United States repealed the exemption of imported bifacial solar panels from the imposition of safeguard duty. The United States Court of International Trade addressed the issues regarding the withdrawal of the exclusion of imported bifacial solar modules from safeguard duty, which Trump had imposed to protect the domestic solar industry. This came on the heels of Trump’s decision to withdraw the exclusion of bifacial solar panels from safeguard duties and increase duties on certain crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells from 15% to 18%.