SUMMARIES OF TARIFF INFORMATION ASPHALTUM AND BITUMEN, NATURAL Comment This summary covers all natural asphalt except limestone-rock asphalt (see separate summary, par. 1710). There are many varieties of natural asphalt and deposits are found in numerous parts of the world. In texture natural asphalt ranges from soft to hard. In composition, some varieties are almost pure asphalt, others are mixtures or emulsions of asphalt with sand, clay, or water. The hard Varieties, which are sometimes known as asphaltites, are used in the manufacture of black varnishes. The softer varieties are used mainly on roads, but have been largely supplanted by petroleum asphalt, 1/ which is cheaper, more plentiful, and meets more varied specifications. United States production of natural asphalt consists almost wholly of gilsonite, a lustrous, brittle asphaltite containing 98 percent of asphalt. Gilsonite comes from a single mine in northeastern Utah. Production increased from about 32,000 tons a year in 1937-39 to about 60,000 tons a year in 1946–47. United States imports of natural asphalt originate chiefly in Trinidad and Cuba (see table 1). (The reported imports from the Netherlands Antilles are believed to be solid petroleum asphalt which is not covered by this summary.) The Trinidad variety is an emulsion consisting, when air-dried, of about 55 percent asphalt, 35 percent sand and clay, and 10 percent water. That from Cuba is probably an asphaltite known as glance pitch and similar to gilsonite. Imports (excluding those from the Netherlands Antilles) averaged about 23,000 tons, valued at 379 thousand dollars, annually in the period 1937-39; they declined during the war and in 1946-48 averaged about 4,000 tons, valued at 159 thousand dollars, per year. Unit values of imports (see table 1), even when those from the Netherlands Antilles are disregarded, are indicative of wide differences in the types and qualities imported from different sources; they also reflect prices much higher in the postwar than in the prewar period. United States exports of natural asphalt averaged about 14,000 tons a year in 1937-39 and 19,000 tons a year in 1947-48 (see table 2). During the 1930's European countries, led by the United Kingdom, Germany, and France, took about three-fourths of the United States exports; Canada and Japan accounted for most of the remainder. In the period 1946-48 the bulk of United States exports has gone to Europe, chiefly to the United Kingdom, France, and Sweden; Canada has also continued to be an important market. For petroleum asphalt, see separate summary, in vol. 1, part 6, par. 1710. ASPHALTUM AND BITUMEN, NATURAL Table 2.- Asphaltum and bitumen, natural: United States exports of Preliminary. 15 11 21 4 79 21 47 153 116 123 3/595/428 327 5/232 720 544 577 819 974 1,065 559 2/ Includes Austria, 1938-43. 3/ Includes 16,155 tons, valued at 380 thousand dollars, to Australia, and 2,775 tons, valued at 82 thousand dollars, to New Zealand. 4/ Includes 1,905 tons, valued at 70 thousand dollars, to Italy, and 1,540 tons, valued at 62 thousand dollars, to Belgium. 5/ Includes 2,750 tons, valued at 20 thousand dollars, to Mexico. Source: Official statistics of the U. S. Department of Commerce. SUMMARIES OF TARIFF INFORMATION LIMESTONE-ROCK ASPHALT Tariff Status Par. 1710. Limestone-rock asphalt, which was free of duty under the Tariff Act of 1922, is free of duty also under the Tariff Act of 1930. Trade Statistics Table 1.- Limestone-rock asphalt: United States production Limestone-rock asphalt Includes both limestone and sandstone rock asphalt. probably accounts for 75 percent of the total. 2 Includes Austria, 1938-43. 3/ Preliminary. Less than $500. Source: Production, U. S. Bureau of Mines; imports, from official statistics of the U. S. Department of Commerce. Note. Statistics on exports are not available. Exports, if any, are negligible. UNITED STATES TARIFF COMMISSION LIMESTONE-ROCK ASPHALT Comment This summary covers limestone-rock asphalt, which is rock naturally impregnated with asphalt. 1 The asphalt content ranges from 5 to 18 percent of the weight of the rock. Rock asphalt is used, after crushing, for surfacing roads--sometimes alone, sometimes mixed with sand or with additional binder, depending upon the character of the material and the kind of roadway. Statistics on United States production of limestone-rock asphalt are not separately reported. Statistics are available, however, on domestic production of bituminous rock, which includes both limestone-rock asphalt and sandstonerock asphalt. Limestone-rock, asphalt accounts for about 75 percent of the production of bituminous rock. In 1937-39, production of bituminous rock averaged about 390,000 tons a year; in 1946-48, it averaged more than twice as much (see table 1). The principal producing areas are in central Kentucky, southeastern Oklahoma, southern Texas, and west central California. Statistics on United States exports of limestone-rock asphalt are not available; exports are believed to be negligible. United States imports of limestone-rock asphalt have been very small compared with production. Before the war imports declined from 2,329 tons, valued at $41,000 (foreign value), in 1937, to 134 tons, valued at $1,000, in 1939. Imports ceased during the war, but amounted to 295 tons, valued at $128,000, in 1948. Cuba, Switzerland, and before the war, Germany have been the principal sources of imports. It is probable that the material imported from Cuba and Switzerland is not rock asphalt similar to that produced in the United States, but a purer variety of asphalt containing relatively little rock. For petroleum asphalt, and asphaltum and bitumen, see separate summaries under paragraph 1710. * PETROLEUM ASPHALT Par. 1710. Liquid and solid petroleum asphalt are free of duty under this paragraph of the Tariff Act of 1930. Section 3422 of the Internal Revenue Code imposes (effective June 21, 1932)' an import-excise tax on liquid petroleum asphalt, but no similar tax is imposed on other petroleum asphalt. The summary covering petroleum asphalt is to be found in Summaries of Tariff Information, Volume 1, Part 6. SUMMARIES OF TARIFF INFORMATION LIFEBOATS AND LIFE-SAVING APPARATUS FOR INSTITUTIONS ESTABLISHED (PAR. 1711) Tariff Status Par. 1711. Lifeboats and life-saving apparatus specially imported by societies and institutions incorporated or established to encourage the saving of human life, which were free of duty under the Tariff Act of 1922, are duty-free also under the Tariff Act of 1930. Trade Statistics Table 1.- Lifeboats and life-saving apparatus for institutions There were no imports during 1937-48 other than in the years shown. 2/ Preliminary. Source: Official statistics of the U. S. Department of Commerce. Note.- Statistics on United States production and exports are not available. |