# 2026-22943: Are Chinese Bricks Dodging Duties With a Pinch of Alumina?

2026-22943, Certain Magnesia Carbon Bricks From the People's Republic of China: Initiation of Circumvention Inquiry on the Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Orders, is a Federal Register notice from Commerce Department, International Trade Administration published 2026-11-10, effective 2026-11-10; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22943
- As of: 2026-11-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-22943
- Title: Certain Magnesia Carbon Bricks From the People's Republic of China: Initiation of Circumvention Inquiry on the Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Orders
- Type: Notice
- Agencies: Commerce Department; International Trade Administration
- Citation: 91 FR 72529
- Published: 2026-11-10
- Effective: 2026-11-10
- Comments close: not stated
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: yes
- Regulation identifier numbers: none
- Last updated: 2026-11-11

## In one line

Are Chinese Bricks Dodging Duties With a Pinch of Alumina?

## Summary

The U.S. Department of Commerce is checking if certain magnesia carbon bricks from China that have a tiny bit of alumina are sneaking around existing trade rules. This affects Chinese brick exporters and U.S. brick makers who want fair trade. Starting November 10, 2026, this inquiry could lead to new duties or rules that impact prices and imports.

## Abstract

In response to a request from the Magnesia Carbon Bricks Fair Trade Committee (the Committee) (the requester), the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) is initiating a country-wide circumvention inquiry to determine whether imports of certain refractory bricks containing alumina in an amount greater than zero but less than five percent by weight (bricks with trace alumina) from the People's Republic of China (China) are circumventing the antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) orders on certain magnesia carbon bricks (Bricks) from China.

## Effects PRIA read

- Country‑wide inquiry on bricks with trace alumina: mixed, medium. The Department of Commerce is initiating a country‑wide circumvention inquiry into chemically bonded magnesia carbon refractory bricks produced in China that contain alumina greater than 0 but less than 5 percent by weight. The scope requires the bricks to have at least 70 percent magnesia (MgO) by…
- Suspension of liquidation and cash deposits applied: cost, medium. Commerce notified U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to continue suspension of liquidation for entries already suspended under the Orders and to apply the cash deposit rates that would apply if these bricks are found covered by the Orders. If Commerce issues an affirmative preliminary or fina…
- Timing for preliminary and final decisions: cost, low. Commerce intends to issue a preliminary circumvention determination no later than 150 days after the notice of initiation, and a final determination no later than 300 days after initiation. The notice of initiation is published November 10, 2026, so those timeframes set the target windows for preli…
- Commerce will request production and shipment details from Chinese firms: cost, low. Consistent with prior country‑wide inquiries, Commerce intends to solicit information from certain companies in China about their production of bricks with trace alumina and shipments to the United States. Those companies may receive information requests as part of the inquiry.

## Related documents

- [2025-05481](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-05481): Regulations Enhancing the Administration of the Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Trade Remedy Laws; Correction, 2025-03-31
- [2026-22938](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22938): Tin Mill Products From Taiwan: Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, Postponement of Final Determination,…, 2026-11-10
- [2026-22939](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22939): Polytetramethylene Ether Glycol From the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Va…, 2026-11-10
- [2026-22940](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22940): Polytetramethylene Ether Glycol From Taiwan: Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, Postponement of Final…, 2026-11-10
- [2026-22941](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22941): Polytetramethylene Ether Glycol From the Republic of Korea: Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, Postpon…, 2026-11-10
- [2026-22942](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22942): Polytetramethylene Ether Glycol From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, 2026-11-10

## Sources
- [2026-22943 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/11/10/2026-22943/certain-magnesia-carbon-bricks-from-the-peoples-republic-of-china-initiation-of-circumvention)
- [2026-22943 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-11-10/pdf/2026-22943.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2026-22942, Polytetramethylene Ether Glycol From the People's Republic of China: Preliminar…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22942)
- [Next: 2026-22944, Modification to Work Requirements for Able-Bodied Adults](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22944)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22943 (as of 2026-11-11).