82 FR 47471 - Silicon Metal From Australia: Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Critical Circumstances, Postponement of Final Determination, and Extension of Provisional Measures

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 196 (October 12, 2017)

The Department of Commerce (the Department) preliminarily determines that silicon metal from Australia is being, or is likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV). The period of investigation (POI) is January 1, 2016, through December 31, 2016.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 196 (Thursday, October 12, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47471-47473]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-22067]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-602-810]


Silicon Metal From Australia: Preliminary Affirmative 
Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, Preliminary Affirmative 
Determination of Critical Circumstances, Postponement of Final 
Determination, and Extension of Provisional Measures

AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce.

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (the Department) preliminarily 
determines that silicon metal from Australia is being, or is likely to 
be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV). The 
period of investigation (POI) is January 1, 2016, through December 31, 
2016.

DATES: Applicable October 12, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian Smith or Denisa Ursu, AD/CVD 
Operations, Office VIII, Enforcement and Compliance, International 
Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution 
Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-1766 or (202) 
482-2285, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    This preliminary determination is made in accordance with section 
733(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). The Department 
published the notice of initiation of this investigation on April 4, 
2017.\1\ On August 1, 2017, the Department postponed the preliminary 
determination of this investigation and the revised deadline is now 
October 4, 2017.\2\ For a complete description of the events that 
followed the initiation of this investigation, see the Preliminary 
Decision Memorandum.\3\ A list of topics included in the Preliminary 
Decision Memorandum is included as Appendix II to this notice. The 
Preliminary Decision Memorandum is a public document and is on file 
electronically via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and 
Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). 
ACCESS is available to registered users at https://access.trade.gov, 
and to all parties in the Central Records Unit, Room B8024 of the main 
Department of Commerce building. In addition, a complete version of the 
Preliminary Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at http://enforcement.trade.gov/frn/. The signed and the electronic versions of 
the Preliminary Decision Memorandum are identical in content.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ See Silicon Metal from Australia, Brazil, and Norway: 
Initiation of Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigations, 82 FR 16352 
(April 4, 2017) (Initiation Notice).
    \2\ See Silicon Metal from Australia, Brazil, and Norway: 
Postponement of Preliminary Determinations in the Less-Than-Fair-
Value Investigations, 82 FR 35753 (August 1, 2017).
    \3\ See Memorandum, ``Decision Memorandum for the Preliminary 
Determination in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation of Silicon 
Metal from Australia'' dated concurrently with, and hereby adopted 
by, this notice (Preliminary Decision Memorandum).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Scope of the Investigation

    The product covered by this investigation is silicon metal from 
Australia. For a complete description of the scope of this 
investigation, see Appendix I.

Scope Comments

    In accordance with the preamble to the Department's regulations,\4\ 
the Initiation Notice set aside a period of time for parties to raise 
issues regarding product coverage (i.e., scope).\5\ Certain interested 
parties commented on the scope of the investigation as it appeared in 
the Initiation Notice. After evaluating these comments, the Department

[[Page 47472]]

preliminarily determines that modifying the scope language as it 
appeared in the Initiation Notice is not warranted. See the scope in 
Appendix I to this notice. However, the Department is inviting comment 
on one of the issues raised: The appropriate calculation methodology 
for determining the silicon content of out-of-scope products (i.e., 
silicon metal with a silicon content in excess of 99.99 percent), and, 
specifically, which impurities should be taken into account in that 
calculation. These comments are due no later than November 6, 2017. 
Rebuttal comments will be due no later than November 13, 2017. For a 
summary of the product coverage comments submitted on the record of 
this proceeding, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ See Antidumping Duties; Countervailing Duties, Final Rule, 
62 FR 27296, 27323 (May 19, 1997).
    \5\ See Initiation Notice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Methodology

    The Department is conducting this investigation in accordance with 
section 731 of the Act. The Department has calculated constructed 
export prices in accordance with section 772(b) of the Act. Normal 
value (NV) is calculated in accordance with section 773 of the Act. For 
a full description of the methodology underlying the preliminary 
determination, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Critical Circumstances

    In accordance with section 733(e) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.206, 
the Department preliminarily finds that critical circumstances exist 
for Simcoa. For a full description of the methodology and results of 
the Department's critical circumstances analysis, see the Preliminary 
Decision Memorandum.

All-Others Rate

    Sections 733(d)(1)(ii) and 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act provide that in 
the preliminary determination the Department shall determine an 
estimated all-others rate for all exporters and producers not 
individually examined. This rate shall be an amount equal to the 
weighted average of the estimated weighted-average dumping margins 
established for exporters and producers individually investigated, 
excluding any zero and de minimis margins, and any margins determined 
entirely under section 776 of the Act. The Department calculated an 
individual estimated weighted-average dumping margin for Simcoa 
Operations Pty Ltd. (Simcoa), the only individually examined exporter/
producer in this investigation. Because the only individually 
calculated dumping margin is not zero, de minimis, or based entirely on 
facts otherwise available, the estimated weighted-average dumping 
margin calculated for Simcoa is the margin assigned to all other 
producers and exporters, pursuant to section 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act.

Preliminary Determination

    The Department preliminarily determines that the following 
estimated weighted-average dumping margins exist:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Estimated
                                                             weighted-
                                                              average
                    Exporter/producer                         dumping
                                                              margin
                                                             (percent)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Simcoa Operations Pty Ltd...............................           20.79
All-Others..............................................           20.79
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Suspension of Liquidation

    In accordance with section 773(d)(2) of the Act, the Department 
will direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to suspend 
liquidation of subject merchandise as described in the scope of the 
investigation section entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for 
consumption on or after the date of publication of this notice in the 
Federal Register, as discussed below. Further, pursuant to section 
733(d)(1)(B) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(d), the Department will 
instruct CBP to require a cash deposit equal to the estimated weighted-
average dumping margin or the estimated all-others rate, as follows: 
(1) The cash deposit rate for the respondent listed above will be equal 
to the company-specific estimated weighted-average dumping margin 
determined in this preliminary determination; (2) if the exporter is 
not a respondent identified above, but the producer is, then the cash 
deposit rate will be equal to the company-specific estimated weighted-
average dumping margin established for that producer of the subject 
merchandise; and (3) the cash deposit rate for all other producers and 
exporters will be equal to the all-others estimated weighted-average 
dumping margin. These suspension of liquidation instructions will 
remain in effect until further notice.
    Section 733(e)(2) of the Act provides that, given an affirmative 
determination of critical circumstances, any suspension of liquidation 
shall apply to unliquidated entries of subject merchandise entered, or 
withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the later of (a) 
the date which is 90 days before the date on which the suspension of 
liquidation was first ordered, or (b) the date on which notice of 
initiation of the investigation was published. The Department 
preliminarily finds that critical circumstances exist for imports of 
subject merchandise produced or exported by Simcoa and all others. In 
accordance with section 733(e)(2)(A) of the Act, the suspension of 
liquidation shall apply to unliquidated entries of shipments of subject 
merchandise from the producer(s) or exporter(s) identified in this 
paragraph that were entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for 
consumption on or after the date which is 90 days before the 
publication of this notice.
    The Department normally adjusts cash deposits for estimated 
antidumping duties by the amount of export subsidies countervailed in a 
companion countervailing duty (CVD) proceeding, when CVD provisional 
measures are in effect. In the concurrent CVD silicon metal 
investigation, however, the Department preliminarily did not make an 
affirmative determination for countervailable export subsidies. 
Therefore, the Department has not offset the estimated weighted-average 
dumping margins by countervailable export subsidies.

Disclosure

    The Department intends to disclose its calculations and analysis 
performed to interested parties in this preliminary determination 
within five days of any public announcement or, if there is no public 
announcement, within five days of the date of publication of this 
notice in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b).

Verification

    As provided in section 782(i)(1) of the Act, the Department intends 
to verify the information relied upon in making its final 
determination.

Public Comment

    Case briefs or other written comments may be submitted to the 
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance no later than seven 
days after the date on which the last verification report is issued in 
this investigation. Rebuttal briefs, limited to issues raised in case 
briefs, may be submitted no later than five days after the deadline 
date for case briefs.\6\ Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2) and (d)(2), 
parties who submit case briefs or rebuttal briefs in this investigation 
are encouraged to submit with each argument: (1) A statement of the 
issue; (2) a brief summary of the argument; and (3) a table of 
authorities.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \6\ See 19 CFR 351.309; see also 19 CFR 351.303 (for general 
filing requirements).

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 47473]]

    Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.310(c), interested parties who wish to 
request a hearing, limited to issues raised in the case and rebuttal 
briefs, must submit a written request to the Assistant Secretary for 
Enforcement and Compliance, U.S. Department of Commerce, within 30 days 
after the date of publication of this notice. Requests should contain 
the party's name, address, and telephone number, the number of 
participants, whether any participant is a foreign national, and a list 
of the issues to be discussed. If a request for a hearing is made, the 
Department intends to hold the hearing at the U.S. Department of 
Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230, at a time 
and date to be determined. Parties should confirm by telephone the 
date, time, and location of the hearing two days before the scheduled 
date.

Postponement of Final Determination and Extension of Provisional 
Measures

    Section 735(a)(2) of the Act provides that a final determination 
may be postponed until not later than 135 days after the date of the 
publication of the preliminary determination if, in the event of an 
affirmative preliminary determination, a request for such postponement 
is made by exporters who account for a significant proportion of 
exports of the subject merchandise, or in the event of a negative 
preliminary determination, a request for such postponement is made by 
the petitioner. Section 351.210(e)(2) of the Department's regulations 
requires that a request by exporters for postponement of the final 
determination be accompanied by a request for extension of provisional 
measures from a four-month period to a period not more than six months 
in duration.
    On September 13, 2017, pursuant to 19 CFR 351.210(e), Simcoa 
requested that the Department postpone the final determination and that 
provisional measures be extended to a period not to exceed six 
months.\7\ In accordance with section 735(a)(2)(A) of the Act and 19 
CFR 351.210(b)(2)(ii), because: (1) The preliminary determination is 
affirmative; (2) the requesting exporter accounts for a significant 
proportion of exports of the subject merchandise; and (3) no compelling 
reasons for denial exist, the Department is postponing the final 
determination and extending the provisional measures from a four-month 
period to a period not greater than six months. Accordingly, the 
Department will make its final determination no later than 135 days 
after the date of publication of this preliminary determination.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \7\ See Letter from Simcoa, ``Silicon Metal from Australia: 
Request for Postponement of Final Determination,'' dated September 
13, 2017.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

International Trade Commission Notification

    In accordance with section 733(f) of the Act, the Department will 
notify the International Trade Commission (ITC) of its preliminary 
determination. If the final determination is affirmative, the ITC will 
determine before the later of 120 days after the date of this 
preliminary determination or 45 days after the final determination 
whether these imports are materially injuring, or threaten material 
injury to, the U.S. industry.

Notification to Interested Parties

    This determination is issued and published in accordance with 
sections 733(f) and 777(i)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(c).

    Dated: October 4, 2017.
Gary Taverman,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Antidumping and Countervailing Duty 
Operations, performing the non-exclusive functions and duties of the 
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.

Appendix I

Scope of the Investigation

    The scope of this investigation covers all forms and sizes of 
silicon metal, including silicon metal powder. Silicon metal 
contains at least 85.00 percent but less than 99.99 percent silicon, 
and less than 4.00 percent iron, by actual weight. Semiconductor 
grade silicon (merchandise containing at least 99.99 percent silicon 
by actual weight and classifiable under Harmonized Tariff Schedule 
of the United States (HTSUS) subheading 2804.61.0000) is excluded 
from the scope of this investigation.
    Silicon metal is currently classifiable under subheadings 
2804.69.1000 and 2804.69.5000 of the HTSUS. While HTSUS numbers are 
provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written 
description of the scope remains dispositive.

Appendix II

List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum

I. Summary
II. Background
III. Period of Investigation
IV. Scope Comments
V. Discussion of the Methodology
    A. Determination of the Comparison Method
    B. Results of the Differential Pricing Analysis
VI. Date of Sale
VII. Product Comparisons
VIII. Constructed Export Price
IX. Normal Value
    A. Home Market Viability
    B. Level of Trade
    C. Cost of Production Analysis
    1. Calculation of COP
    2. Test of Comparison Market Sales Prices
    3. Results of the COP Test
    D. Calculation of NV Based on Comparison-Market Prices
X. Currency Conversion
XI. Critical Circumstances
XII. Conclusion

[FR Doc. 2017-22067 Filed 10-11-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P