division | Main contents | Implications |
|---|---|---|
| global economy | Manufacturing slowdown eases, demand for batteries and semiconductors recovers | Expanding imports of high-purity and special inorganic compounds |
| strategic items | High-purity gases for semiconductors (NF₃, WF₆, etc.), LiPF₆·LiFSI precursors for battery electrolytes | High price and supply sensitivity |
| regulation | Strengthening REACH/K-REACH and strengthening hazardous substance management | Expanding authentication and data requirements, leading to delivery risks |
| geopolitics | Risk management is necessary for items dependent on China. | Alternative supply lines and domestic production are needed in parallel. |
item | detail |
|---|---|
| HS code | 28 (Inorganic chemicals; inorganic or organic compounds of precious metals, rare earths, radioactive elements) |
| Key subcategories | 2804 (hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine, etc.), 2811 (inorganic acids), 2825 (metal oxides), 2834 (nitrates), 2853 (precious metal compounds), etc. |
| 2024 Import Volume (Approximate) | About $26-27 billion |
| Demand source | Batteries (electrolytes and salts), semiconductors (high-purity gases), catalysts and refining, pharmaceuticals and precision materials |
Dual structure of general-purpose basic weapons (acids, salts, bases) and high-purity special gases and precious metal compounds . The latter is driving growth.
ranking | importing country | specific gravity(%) | Features and Risks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | china | 32 | General-purpose inorganic salts and acids, price competitiveness/ESG gap |
| 2 | japan | 21 | High-purity reagents, special gases, and additives |
| 3 | USA | 18 | High value-added materials for semiconductors and pharmaceuticals |
| 4 | germany | 9 | Catalysts, precious metal compounds, and reagents |
| 5 | India | 7 | General-purpose inorganic compounds and pharmaceutical materials |
The top five countries collectively account for ~87% . The market is dominated by the triad of China, Japan, and the US .
division | 2023 Q3 | 2024 Q3 | Increase/decrease (%) | memo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic weapons (acids, salts, bases) | 3.42M t | 3.51M t | +2.7 | Universal demand stabilization |
| Special gases (semiconductors) | 78 kt | 86 kt | +10.3 | Increasing demand for high purity |
| Battery electrolyte/salt | 214 kt | 241 kt | +12.6 | Li·F compound-centered |
| Precious metal compounds and catalysts | 29 kt | 31 kt | +6.9 | Refining and chemical catalysts |
The growth trend is particularly notable in special gas/battery applications.
Item | 2024 Q1 | 2024 Q2 | 2024 Q3 | QoQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High purity NF₃ (USD/t) | 34,800 | 35,600 | 36,400 | +2.2% |
| LiPF₆ (USD/t) | 27,500 | 28,200 | 29,000 | +2.8% |
| Sulfuric acid (98%) (USD/t) | 138 | 141 | 142 | +0.7% |
| precious metal catalyst mixture | 82,000 | 83,600 | 85,200 | +1.9% |
High purity/precious metals lead the price increase.
branch | characteristic | Volatility (0–1) |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Inventory adjustment/regular maintenance | 0.42 |
| Q2 | Increased production capacity | 0.60 |
| Q3 | Electronics and Battery Peak | 0.73 |
| Q4 | Accounting closing/project order receipt | 0.55 |
item | detail |
|---|---|
| tariff | FTA tariff exemption/reduction for many items, additional requirements for some hazardous materials |
| Non-tariff | REACH/K-REACH registration, hazardous substances (SVHC) regulations, and hazardous materials transport regulations |
| Domestic alternative | Expanding domestic production of special gases and electrolytes, and recovering, refining, and recycling precious metals. |
| assignment | High-purity purification, impurity management, data package standardization, and multi-sourcing |
characteristic | evaluation | analysis |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon and environmental impact | middle | Issues related to the manufacture/transport of basic weapons, discharge of waste liquids, and disposal of waste acid |
| ESG Risk | Medium to high | Deviations in environmental and labor standards in some countries |
| Net Zero Contribution | Medium to high | Contributing to high-efficiency semiconductor processes and improved battery efficiency |
| circular economy | award | The value of precious metal catalyst recovery and refining is significant. |
importing country | Policy/Environment (0–1) | Logistics (0–1) | Trust Index |
|---|---|---|---|
| china | 0.46 | 0.33 | 0.64 |
| japan | 0.24 | 0.25 | 0.81 |
| USA | 0.22 | 0.28 | 0.82 |
| germany | 0.25 | 0.27 | 0.79 |
| India | 0.32 | 0.35 | 0.71 |
Average Trust Index ≈ 0.75 (good) — Increasing the proportion of advanced countries in high value-added items enhances stability.
industry | Major companies | Imported items | note |
|---|---|---|---|
| semiconductor | Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and equipment companies | NF₃, WF₆, SiH₄, etc. | Ultra-high purity gases/precursors |
| secondary battery | LGES, Samsung SDI, and POSCO Future M | LiPF₆/LiFSI electrolyte precursor, Li salt | High-purity F-type inorganic compounds |
| Oil refining and catalyst | SK, Hyundai Oil, and Hanwha Total | precious metal catalyst compounds | Linkage of recovery and financial system |
| Pharmaceuticals and precision materials | large pharmaceutical and material companies | Reagents, inorganic salts, acids | High purity/traceability requirements |
item | Dependency | movement |
|---|---|---|
| Special gases (semiconductors) | high | Progress in localization and expansion of multiple vendors |
| Battery electrolyte precursor | high | High dependence on overseas Li·F raw materials |
| precious metal compounds | Medium to high | Increasing trend of recovery and financial system proportion |
| General purpose basic weapon | middle | Stabilization of domestic and import demand in parallel |
characteristic | Currently (2025 Q3) | Compared to the previous quarter (Δ%) | analysis |
|---|---|---|---|
| ΔImport | +3.4% | ▲1.1 | Driving special demand for semiconductors and batteries |
| ΔPrice | +2.2% | ▲0.6 | High purity/precious metal series |
| ΔCountryShare | +0.5% | ▲0.3 | Increased weighting of the US and Japan (stability increase) |
| Trust Index | 0.75 | = | Good (increased sourcing from developed countries) |
| Forecast (3M) | +4.0% | ▲ | Year-end equipment operation/project reflection |
Summary: HS28 imports are rising moderately (positive-neutral) . High-purity specialty gases, electrolyte precursors, and precious metal compounds are driving growth, with multiple vendors, domestic production, and recycling being key strategies.
division | Suggestion | Expected effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | R&D Fund for Domestic Production of High-Purity Specialty Gases and Electrolytes | Self-reliance in strategic items and shortened lead times |
| 2 | Joint REACH/K-REACH data package | Reduce certification fees and time |
| 3 | Expansion of precious metal catalyst recovery and refining infrastructure | Simultaneous improvement of costs and ESG |
| 4 | Multi-sourcing and country risk hedging (US, EU, Japan) | Improving supply chain stability |
| 5 | AI-based procurement and inventory optimization | Improving cost and operational efficiency |
HS28 (Inorganic Chemicals and Precious Metal Compounds) Imports Trade Index – 2025 Q3
ΔImport +3.4% , ΔPrice +2.2% , Trust 0.75 , Forecast (3M) +4.0%
→ High-value-added imports centered on batteries, semiconductors, and catalysts are expanding .
To address strengthening regulations and ESG requirements, we recommend pursuing domestic production, recycling, and multi-vendor strategies .
