The existing antidumping duties on ferrovanadium imports from South Africa and China will continue following final determinations from both the US Department of Commerce and the US International Trade Commission, according to a Federal Register notice published Aug. 20.
The decision follows the completion of the third five-year "sunset" review regarding the subject ferrovanadium antidumping orders. The review began Jan. 2.
During the review, the commerce department said the revocation of the antidumping orders on Chinese and South African ferrovanadium would likely lead to the continuation or recurrence of dumping at weighted-average margins up to 116% for South Africa and 66.71% for China.
The International Trade Commission separately determined that the revocation of the orders would likely lead to the continuation or recurrence of material injury to a US industry.
The scope of the antidumping orders covers all ferrovanadium classified under HTSUS item number 7202.92.00 regardless of grade, chemistry, form, shape or size, according to the notice.
The commerce department said it will initiate the next five-year review of the orders no later than 30 days prior to the fifth anniversary of the effective date of continuation (Aug. 20).
In its final comments to the International Trade Commission during the review, the Vanadium Producers and Reclaimers Association said the conditions of international competition that existed at the time of the initial investigation in 2003 still remain at present.
"The ferrovanadium industries in China and South Africa are positioned to resume substantial exports to the United States if the orders were revoked," the association said. "The significant volumes of subject imports that would likely enter the US market would again use unfairly low prices to gain market share from domestically produced ferrovanadium, and such prices would depress or suppress the domestic ferrovanadium prices significantly."
