MESSAGE NO: 4084115 DATE: 03 25 1994
CATEGORY: ADA TYPE: FIN
REFERENCE: REFERENCE DATE:
CASES: A - 427 - 812 A - 427 - 215
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PERIOD COVERED: 03 25 1994 TO

LIQ SUSPENSION DATE:

TO: REGIONAL DIRECTORS, COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS
DISTRICT DIRECTORS, AREA AND PORT DIRECTORS

FROM: DIRECTOR, TRADE COMPLIANCE DIVISION

RE: FINAL DETERMINATIONS IN THE ANTIDUMPING DUTY INVESTIGATION
INVESTIGATIONS OF CALCIUM ALUMINATE CEMENT, CEMENT CLINKER
AND FLUX FROM FRANCE.

1. THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE WILL PUBLISH IN THE FEDERAL
REGISTER ON MARCH 25, 1994, THE NOTICE OF ITS FINAL
DETERMINATIONS THAT CALCIUM ALUMINATE (CA) CEMENT, CEMENT CLINKER
AND FLUX FROM FRANCE ARE BEING SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES AT LESS
THAN FAIR VALUE.

2. THE PRODUCTS COVERED BY THESE INVESTIGATIONS CONSTITUTE TWO
SEPARATE CLASSES OR KINDS OF MERCHANDISE: 1) CA CEMENT AND
CEMENT CLINKER AND 2) CA FLUX. THE PRODUCTS COVERED BY THESE
INVESTIGATIONS INCLUDE CA CEMENT, CEMENT CLINKER AND FLUX, OTHER
THAN WHITE, HIGH PURITY CA CEMENT, CEMENT CLINKER AND FLUX. THE
PRODUCTS INCLUDED IN THESE INVESTIGATIONS CONTAIN BY WEIGHT MORE
THAN 32 PERCENT BUT LESS THAN 65 PERCENT ALUMINA AND MORE THAN
ONE PERCENT EACH OF IRON AND SILICA.

CA CEMENT/CEMENT CLINKER AND CA FLUX HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY
DIFFERENT PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND END USES. CA CEMENT IS A
SPECIALTY HYDRAULIC NONPORTLAND CEMENT USED FOR CONSTRUCTION
PURPOSES. CA CEMENT CLINKER IS THE PRIMARY MATERIAL USED AS A
BINDING AGENT IN THE PRODUCTION OF CA CEMENT. CA FLUX IS USED
PRIMARILY AS A DESULFURIZER AND/OR CLEANING AGENT IN THE STEEL
MANUFACTURING PROCESS. CA CLINKER PRODUCED FOR SALE AS FLUX
CANNOT BE USED TO PRODUCE CA CEMENT, AND CA CLINKER USED TO
PRODUCE CA CEMENT CANNOT BE USED AS A FLUX IN THE PRODUCTION OF
STEEL.

CA FLUX HAS A CHEMICAL COMPOSITION DISTINCT FROM CA CEMENT
CLINKER. CA CEMENT CLINKER CONTAINS THE HYDRAULIC MINERAL
MONOCALCIUM ALUMINATE, WHICH GIVES IT A MOLAR RATIO OF LIME TO
ALUMINA OF APPROXIMATELY 1:1. IN CONTRAST, CA CLINKER SOLD AS A
FLUX DOES NOT CONTAIN MONO-CALCIUM ALUMINATE; IT CONTAINS THE
COMPLEX MINERAL C12A7 (12CAO 7A12O2), WHICH GIVES IT A MOLAR
RATIO OF LIME TO ALUMINA OF APPROXIMATELY 2:1. THIS HIGHER LIME
TO ALUMINA RATIO GIVES THE CA CLINKER SOLD AS A FLUX A LOWER
MELTING POINT THAN CA CEMENT, AND ALSO RESULTS IN EXTRA LIME
WHICH CAN BOND WITH SULFUR AND OTHER IMPURITIES IN MOLTEN STEEL.
ALTHOUGH CA CLINKER SOLD AS FLUX HAS SOME HYDRAULIC PROPERTIES,
IT HYDRATES TOO QUICKLY TO BE USED FOR THOSE PROPERTIES.
THESE PRODUCTS ARE CLASSIFIED UNDER THE FOLLOWING HARMONIZED
TARIFF SCHEDULE OF THE UNITED STATES (HTSUS) SUBHEADINGS:
2523.30.0000 (FOR ALUMINOUS CEMENT) AND 2523.10.0000 (FOR CEMENT
CLINKER AND FLUX). ALTHOUGH THE HTSUS SUBHEADINGS ARE PROVIDED
FOR CONVENIENCE AND CUSTOMS PURPOSES, OUR WRITTEN DESCRIPTION OF
THE SCOPE OF THESE INVESTIGATIONS REMAINS DISPOSITIVE.

3. FOR FURTHER REPORTING PURPOSES, THIS CASE HAS BEEN ASSIGNED
THE FOLLOWING INVESTIGATION NUMBER: A-427-812. THIS NUMBER
SHOULD BE USED FOR COMMERCE ONLY.

FOR CUSTOMS PURPOSES ONLY THE FOLLOWING IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS
ARE FOR CA CEMENT AND CEMENT CLINKER A-427-812, FOR CA FLUX
A-427-215

4. THE CUSTOMS SERVICE SHALL CONTINUE TO SUSPEND LIQUIDATION OF
ALL ENTRIES OF CA CEMENT AND CEMENT CLINKER FROM FRANCE THAT ARE
ENTERED, OR WITHDRAWN FROM WAREHOUSE, ON OR AFTER NOVEMBER 3,
1993. FURTHERMORE, THE CUSTOMS SERVICE SHALL BEGIN THE
SUSPENSION OF LIQUIDATION OF ALL ENTRIES OF CA FLUX FROM FRANCE
THAT ARE ENTERED, OR WITHDRAWN FROM WAREHOUSE, ON OR AFTER MARCH
25, 1994. THE CUSTOMS SERVICE SHALL REQUIRE A CASH DEPOSIT OR
THE POSTING OF A BOND FOR ALL ENTRIES OF CA CEMENT, CEMENT
CLINKER AND FLUX EQUAL TO THE ESTIMATED MARGIN PERCENTAGES LISTED
BELOW:

MANUFACTURER/PRODUCER IDENTIFICATION WEIGHTED-AVERAGE
EXPORTER NUMBER MARGIN PERCENTAGE

FOR CA CEMENT AND CEMENT CLINKER:

LAFARGE FONDU INTERNATIONAL
AND LAFARGE CALCIUM
ALUMINATES INC A-427-812-001 18.91%

ALL OTHERS A-427-812-000 18.91%

FOR CA FLUX:

LAFARGE FONDU INTERNATIONAL
AND LAFARGE CALCIUM
ALUMINATES INC. A-427-215-001 31.08%

ALL OTHERS A-427-215-000 31.08%

5. IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS MATTER BY CUSTOMS
OFFICERS, PLEASE CONTACT THE TRADE COMPLIANCE DIVISION, AD/CVD
BRANCH, CUSTOMS HEADQUARTERS VIA E-MAIL ATTRIBUTE "HQ OAB". THE
IMPORTING PUBLIC AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES SHOULDCONTACT IRENE
DARZENTA OR SHAWN THOMPSON OF THE OFFICE OF ANTIDUMPING
INVESTIGATIONS, IMPORT ADMINISTRATION, INTERNATIONAL TRADE
ADMINISTRATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, AT (202) 482-6320 OR
(202) 482-3965, RESPECTIVELY.

THERE ARE NO RESTRICTIONS ON THE RELEASE OF THIS INFORMATION.

NANCY MCTIERNAN