Notice of preliminary determination in the antidumping duty investigation of silica bricks and shapes from the People's Republic of China (A-570-988)

1. On 06/20/2013, Commerce published in the Federal Register (78 FR 37203) its preliminary determination of sales at less than fair value and the postponement of the final determination in the antidumping duty investigation of silica bricks and shapes from the People's Republic of China (PRC). 2. The products covered by the scope of this investigation are refractory bricks and shapes, regardless of size, that contain at least 90 percent silica (SiO2) where at least 50 percent of the silica content, by weight, is crystalline silica, regardless of other materials contained in the bricks and shapes. Refractory refers to nonmetallic materials having those chemical and physical properties that make them applicable for structures, or as components of systems, that are exposed to environments above 1000 degrees Fahrenheit (538 degrees Celsius). The products covered by the scope of this investigation are currently classified under Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (“HTSUS”) numbers 6902.20.1020 and 6902.20.5020. Because the definition of “refractory” in the HTSUS differs from that in the scope of this investigation, products covered by the scope of this investigation may also enter under HTSUS number 6909.19.5095. Although the HTSUS numbers are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the scope of this proceeding is dispositive. The scope of this investigation does not cover refractory bricks and shapes, regardless of size, that are made, in part, from non-crystalline silica (commonly referred to as fused silica) where the silica content is less than 50 percent, by weight, crystalline silica. 3. This investigation has been assigned investigation number A-570-988. 4. For imports of silica bricks and shapes from the PRC, CBP shall suspend liquidation of such shipments entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after 06/20/2013. Effective 06/20/2013, CBP shall require, for entries of silica bricks and shapes from the PRC from the exporter/producer combinations listed below, a cash deposit equal to the antidumping duty cash deposit shown below: Exporter: Tianjin New Century Refractories Co., Ltd.; Tianjin New World Import & Export Trading Co., Ltd.; and XinYi American Advanced Material Co., Ltd. Producer: Dengfeng Yuzhong Refractories Co. Ltd. Case number: A-570-988-001 Cash deposit rate: 84.89% 5. For all other entries of silica bricks and shapes from the PRC, the following cash deposit instructions apply: A. For all PRC exporters of silica bricks and shapes from the PRC which have not received their own rate, the cash deposit rate will be the PRC-wide rate. B. For all non-PRC exporters of silica bricks and shapes from the PRC which have not received their own rate, the cash deposit rate will be the rate applicable to the exporter/producer combinations that supplied that non-PRC exporter. 6. If there are any questions by the importing public regarding this message, please contact the Call Center for the Office of AD/CVD Operations, Import Administration, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce at (202) 482-0984. CBP ports should submit their inquiries through authorized CBP channels only. (This message was generated by O4:RP.) 7. There are no restrictions on the release of this information. Michael B. Walsh