Continuation of Antidumping Duty Order: Pure Magnesium From the People's Republic of China

AGENCY:

Import Administration, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

ACTION:

Notice of Continuation of Antidumping Duty Order: Pure Magnesium from the People's Republic of China.

SUMMARY:

On August 3, 2000, the Department of Commerce (“the Department”), pursuant to sections 751(c) and 752 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (“the Act”), determined that revocation of the antidumping duty order on pure magnesium from the People's Republic of China (“China”), is likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping.

On September 12, 2000, the International Trade Commission (“the Commission”), pursuant to section 751(c) of the Act, determined that revocation of the antidumping duty order on pure magnesium from China would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury to an industry in the United States within a reasonably foreseeable time. Therefore, pursuant to 19 CFR 351.218(f)(4), the Department is publishing notice of the continuation of the antidumping duty order on pure magnesium from China.

Effective Date:

October 27, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Martha V. Douthit or James P. Maeder, Office of Policy for Import Administration, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20230; telephone: (202) 482-5050 or (202) 482-3330, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background:

On April 3, 1999, the Department initiated (65 FR 17484), and the Commission instituted (65 FR 17531), sunset reviews of the antidumping duty order on pure magnesium from China, pursuant to section 751(c) of the Act. As a result of its review, the Department found on August 3, 2000, that revocation of the antidumping duty order on pure magnesium from China would likely lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping and notified the Commission of the magnitude of the margins likely to prevail were the order revoked. See 65 FR 47713 (August 3, 2000).

On September 12, 2000, the Commission determined, pursuant to section 751(c) of the Act, that revocation of the antidumping duty order on pure magnesium from China would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury to an industry in the United States within a reasonably foreseeable time. See Pure Magnesium from China, 65 FR 55047 (September 12, 2000) and USITC Publication 3346, Investigation No. 731-TA-696 (Review)(August 2000).

Scope

The product covered by this order is pure magnesium regardless of chemistry, form or size, unless expressly excluded from the scope of this order. Primary magnesium is a metal or alloy containing by weight primarily the element magnesium and produced by decomposing raw materials into magnesium metal. Pure primary magnesium is used primarily as a chemical in the aluminum alloying, desulfurization, and chemical reduction industries. In addition, pure primary magnesium is used as an input in producing magnesium alloy. Pure primary magnesium encompasses products (including, but not limited to, butt ends, stubs, crowns and crystals) with the following primary magnesium contents: (1) Products that contain at least 99.95 percent primary magnesium, by weight generally referred to as “ultra-pure” magnesium); (2) Products that contain less than 99.95 percent but not less than 99.8 percent primary magnesium, by weight (generally referred to as “pure” magnesium); and (3) Products (generally referred to as “off-specification pure” magnesium) that contain 50 percent or greater, but less than 99.8 percent primary magnesium, by weight, and that do not conform to ASTM specifications for alloy magnesium. “Off-specification pure” magnesium is pure primary magnesium containing magnesium scrap, secondary magnesium, oxidized magnesium or impurities (whether or not intentionally added) that cause the primary magnesium content to fall below 99.8 percent by weight. It generally does not contain, individually or in combination, 1.5 percent or more, by weight, of the following alloying elements: Aluminum, manganese, zinc, silicon, thorium, zirconium and rare earths.

Excluded from the scope of this order are alloy primary magnesium (that meets specifications for alloy magnesium), primary magnesium anodes, granular primary magnesium (including turnings, chips and powder), having a maximum physical dimension (i.e., length or diameter) of one inch or less, secondary magnesium (which has pure primary magnesium content of less than 50 percent by weight), and remelted magnesium whose pure primary magnesium content is less than 50 percent by weight. Pure magnesium products covered by this order are currently classifiable under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (“HTSUS”) subheadings 8104.11.00, 8104.19.00, 8104.20.00, 8104.30.00, 8104.90.00, 3824.90.11, 3824.90.19 and 9817.00.90. Although the HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, our written description of the scope is dispositive.

Since the antidumping duty order was issued, the Department has clarified that the scope of the original order includes, but is not limited to, butt ends, stubs, crowns and crystals. See May 22, 1997, instructions to the Custom Service and November 14, 1997, Final Scope Rule of Antidumping Duty Order on Pure Magnesium from China.

Determination

As a result of the determination by the Department and the Commission that revocation of the antidumping duty order would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping and material injury to an industry in the United States, pursuant to section 751(d)(2) of the Act, the Department hereby orders the continuation of the antidumping duty order on pure magnesium from China. The Department will instruct the Customs Service to continue to collect antidumping duty deposits at the rates in effect at the time of entry for all imports of subject merchandise. The effective date of continuation of this order will be the date of publication in the Federal Register of this Notice of Continuation. Pursuant to section 751(c)(2) and 751 (c)(6) of the Act, the Department intends to initiate the next five-year review of this order not later than April 2005.