Chapter 28 · Chemicals

Inorganic chemicals; organic and inorganic compounds of precious metals; of rare earth metals, of radio-active elements and of isotopes

In January–July 2026, Chile exported US$ 5,760 million of the goods in this chapter, 7.3% of everything it exported and 114% more than in the same months of 2025. The main destination was China (61%), and the main region of origin, Antofagasta (87%). It imported US$ 979 million, 5.5% more than in the same months of 2025, mostly from United States (31%).

Servicio Nacional de Aduanas · How it is measured

US$ 5,760 M
exported, January–July 2026 · +114% vs January–July 2025
US$ 979 M
imported, January–July 2026 · +5.5% vs January–July 2025
7.3%
of everything Chile exported · 1.9% of imports

Month by month

January 2025–August 2026
02505007501,000US$ MJan2025FebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovs/dDecJan2026FebMarAprMayJunJuls/dAug
02505007501,000US$ MJ2025FMAMJJASON·DJ2026FMAMJJ·A
ExportsImportsshaded: the months the figures above are read over

«s/d» is a month the Aduanas database does not carry, not a month without trade.

What is inside

January–July 2026

What is exported, by heading

Chemicals 100%Carbonates; peroxocarbonates (percarbonates); commercialammonium car…50%Fluorine, chlorine,bromine and iodine19%Sulphates; alums;peroxosulphates(persulphates)16%Hydrazine andhydroxylamine andtheir inorganic…8.2%Nitrites;nitrates4.3%Salts ofoxometal…or…Chlo…chlo…oxid…Oxid…ofboro…
Chemicals 100%Carbonates;peroxocarbonates(percarbonates);…50%Fluorine, chlorine,bromine and iodine19%Sulphates; alums;peroxosulphates(persulphates)16%Hydrazineandhydroxylam…8.2%Nitrites;nitrates4.3%Sal…ofoxo…Chlo…Oxid…

What is imported, by heading

Chemicals 100%Sulphuric acid; oleum38%Ammonia; anhydrousor in aqueoussolution17%Carbonates;peroxocarbonates(percarbonates);…13%Sodium hydroxide (causticsoda); potassium hydroxide(caustic potash)…7.1%Cyanides,cyanideoxides and…3.8%Phosphina…(hypophos…phosphona…2.7%Chloride…chlorideoxides…2.4%Carbon;carbonblacks…2.3%Sulphide…polysulp…whether…2.1%Sulphat…alums;peroxos…Hydrogenperoxid…whether…1.3%Inorga…acidsand…1.3%Hydro…raregases…1.1%Hydra…andhydro…Sulphi…thiosu…Diphosp…pentaox…phospho…Zinc;oxideand…Ironoxi…Chr…oxi…Hyd…chl…Radi…Nitr…Alu…Hyp…Bor…Car…
Chemicals 100%Sulphuric acid;oleum38%Ammonia; anhydrous or inaqueous solution17%Carbonates;peroxocarbonates(percarbonates);…13%Sodiumhydroxide(caustic…7.1%Cyani…cyani…oxide…3.8%Phosph…(hypop…phosph…Chlor…chlor…oxide…Carbo…carbonblack…Sulph…polys…wheth…Sulph…alums;perox…Hydro…perox…Inorg…acids…Hydro…rare…

With which countries

January–July 2026

Each line joins the start and a country this was sold to; it is a relationship, not a route. The other countries, pooled, and the codes that are not a country (free zones, ship stores) add up to US$ 224 million and have no line.

Each line arrives from the country where the goods were made; it is a relationship, not a route. The other countries, pooled, and the codes that are not a country (free zones, ship stores) add up to US$ 95.7 million and have no line.

Where exports go

  1. ChinaUS$ 3,533 million61%
  2. South KoreaUS$ 586 million10%
  3. NetherlandsUS$ 317 million5.5%
  4. United StatesUS$ 300 million5.2%
  5. BelgiumUS$ 199 million3.5%
  6. IndiaUS$ 147 million2.5%
  7. JapanUS$ 140 million2.4%
  8. NorwayUS$ 110 million1.9%
  9. SpainUS$ 77.5 million1.3%
  10. BrazilUS$ 59.9 million1.0%
  11. IndonesiaUS$ 36.5 million0.6%
  12. PeruUS$ 29.3 million0.5%
  13. OthersUS$ 224 million3.9%

Where imports come from

  1. United StatesUS$ 304 million31%
  2. PeruUS$ 135 million14%
  3. ChinaUS$ 123 million13%
  4. BulgariaUS$ 50.2 million5.1%
  5. AustraliaUS$ 44.2 million4.5%
  6. JapanUS$ 43.4 million4.4%
  7. IndiaUS$ 42.1 million4.3%
  8. South KoreaUS$ 39.2 million4.0%
  9. ArgentinaUS$ 32.5 million3.3%
  10. GermanyUS$ 25.9 million2.6%
  11. BrazilUS$ 22.5 million2.3%
  12. Trinidad & TobagoUS$ 22.4 million2.3%
  13. OthersUS$ 95.7 million9.8%

From which region

exports · January–July 2026
  1. AntofagastaUS$ 5,021 million87%
  2. MetropolitanaUS$ 417 million7.2%
  3. TarapacáUS$ 252 million4.4%
  4. Arica y ParinacotaUS$ 41.1 million0.7%
  5. CoquimboUS$ 19.5 million0.3%
  6. Nationalised foreign goodsUS$ 4.9 million0.1%
  7. ValparaísoUS$ 3.6 million0.1%
  8. AtacamaUS$ 504 thousand<0.1%
  9. BiobíoUS$ 29 thousand<0.1%
  10. No region declaredUS$ 14 thousand<0.1%

The region the declaration names as the origin of the exports. An import declares no region.

Where it leaves and lands

January–July 2026
Port or crossingComunaLoaded (exports)%Unloaded (imports)%
Puerto AngamosMejillonesUS$ 4,036 million70%US$ 30.1 million3.1%
San AntonioSan AntonioUS$ 456 million7.9%US$ 133 million14%
ValparaísoValparaísoUS$ 380 million6.6%——
MejillonesMejillones——US$ 369 million38%
IquiqueIquiqueUS$ 306 million5.3%——
AntofagastaAntofagastaUS$ 179 million3.1%US$ 38.3 million3.9%
TocopillaTocopillaUS$ 199 million3.5%——
Terminal Marítimo ENAEXMejillones——US$ 163 million17%
San VicenteTalcahuanoUS$ 65.6 million1.1%——
Muelle HuachipatoTalcahuano——US$ 46.5 million4.8%
AricaAricaUS$ 45.9 million0.8%——
Terminal Portuario TerquimMejillones——US$ 40.7 million4.2%
Los LibertadoresLos Andes——US$ 31.0 million3.2%
Other portsUS$ 92.4 million1.6%US$ 127 million13%

The Chilean port where the exports were loaded and the imports unloaded: where the cargo passes, which is not always the office that processes it. The eight largest are named; the rest are in «other ports». Every port →

Exports, by transport

  1. Sea, river and lakeUS$ 5,667 million98%
  2. RoadUS$ 47.6 million0.8%
  3. AirUS$ 45.0 million0.8%
  4. Courier (air)US$ 10 thousand<0.1%

Imports, by transport

  1. Sea, river and lakeUS$ 935 million96%
  2. RoadUS$ 37.8 million3.9%
  3. AirUS$ 5.4 million0.6%
  4. Courier (air)US$ 736 thousand0.1%

Who processes it

January–July 2026
Customs officeRegion of its seatExports%Imports%
AntofagastaAntofagastaUS$ 4,463 million77%US$ 666 million68%
San AntonioValparaísoUS$ 451 million7.8%US$ 133 million14%
IquiqueTarapacáUS$ 313 million5.4%US$ 402 thousand<0.1%
ValparaísoValparaísoUS$ 219 million3.8%US$ 42.6 million4.3%
TocopillaAntofagastaUS$ 202 million3.5%——
TalcahuanoBiobíoUS$ 51 thousand<0.1%US$ 75.8 million7.7%
AricaArica y ParinacotaUS$ 54.2 million0.9%US$ 3.8 million0.4%
MetropolitanaMetropolitanaUS$ 45.1 million0.8%US$ 6.2 million0.6%
Los AndesValparaísoUS$ 12.1 million0.2%US$ 31.6 million3.2%
ChañaralAtacamaUS$ 1.6 million<0.1%US$ 18.2 million1.9%
AraucaníaAraucaníaUS$ 223 thousand<0.1%US$ 491 thousand0.1%
Puerto MonttLos Lagos——US$ 235 thousand<0.1%
OsornoLos Lagos——US$ 186 thousand<0.1%
Punta ArenasMagallanes——US$ 136 thousand<0.1%

The office is the branch of the Service that processed the declaration. An import is counted at the office that clears it.

From where to where

January–July 2026

What leaves: region of origin, customs office, destination

Region of originCustoms officeDestinationAntofagastaUS$ 5,021 million · 87%MetropolitanaUS$ 417 million · 7.2%TarapacáUS$ 252 million · 4.4%Arica y ParinacotaUS$ 41.1 million · 0.7%CoquimboUS$ 19.5 million · 0.3%Nationalised foreign goodsUS$ 4.9 million · 0.1%Other regionsUS$ 4.2 million · 0.1%TocopillaUS$ 202 million · 3.5%AntofagastaUS$ 4,463 million · 77%ValparaísoUS$ 219 million · 3.8%IquiqueUS$ 313 million · 5.4%San AntonioUS$ 451 million · 7.8%Other officesUS$ 113 million · 2.0%South KoreaUS$ 586 million · 10%BelgiumUS$ 199 million · 3.5%ChinaUS$ 3,533 million · 61%JapanUS$ 140 million · 2.4%United StatesUS$ 300 million · 5.2%IndiaUS$ 147 million · 2.5%NetherlandsUS$ 317 million · 5.5%OthersUS$ 537 million · 9.3%
Region of originCustoms officeDestinationAntofagasta87%Metropolit…7.2%Tarapacá4.4%Arica y Pa…0.7%Coquimbo0.3%Nationalis…0.1%Other regi…0.1%Tocop…3.5%Antof…77%Valpa…3.8%Iquiq…5.4%San A…7.8%Other…2.0%South Korea10%Belgium3.5%China61%Japan2.4%United Sta…5.2%India2.5%Netherlands5.5%Others9.3%

What comes in: origin, transport, customs office

OriginTransportCustoms officeUnited StatesUS$ 304 million · 31%PeruUS$ 135 million · 14%ChinaUS$ 123 million · 13%BulgariaUS$ 50.2 million · 5.1%AustraliaUS$ 44.2 million · 4.5%JapanUS$ 43.4 million · 4.4%IndiaUS$ 42.1 million · 4.3%OthersUS$ 238 million · 24%Courier (air)US$ 736 thousand · 0.1%Sea, river and lakeUS$ 935 million · 96%AirUS$ 5.4 million · 0.6%RoadUS$ 37.8 million · 3.9%San AntonioUS$ 133 million · 14%ValparaísoUS$ 42.6 million · 4.3%TalcahuanoUS$ 75.8 million · 7.7%AntofagastaUS$ 666 million · 68%Los AndesUS$ 31.6 million · 3.2%Other officesUS$ 29.6 million · 3.0%
OriginTransportCustoms officeUnited Sta…31%Peru14%China13%Bulgaria5.1%Australia4.5%Japan4.4%India4.3%Others24%Couri…0.1%Sea, …96%Air0.6%Road3.9%San Antonio14%Valparaíso4.3%Talcahuano7.7%Antofagasta68%Los Andes3.2%Other offi…3.0%

Every column adds up to the same total; the largest are named and the rest pooled into «others». Hover a ribbon to see how much it carries.

Its 50 headings

change against January–July 2025
CodeDescriptionExportschangeImportschange
28.36Carbonates; peroxocarbonates (percarbonates); commercial ammonium carbonate containing ammonium carbamateUS$ 2,868 million+172%US$ 125 million−11%
28.01Fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodineUS$ 1,079 million+36%US$ 2 thousand
28.33Sulphates; alums; peroxosulphates (persulphates)US$ 908 million+600%US$ 15.3 million−17%
28.25Hydrazine and hydroxylamine and their inorganic salts; other inorganic bases; other metal oxides, hydroxides and peroxidesUS$ 472 million+18%US$ 7.5 million+33%
28.07Sulphuric acid; oleumUS$ 3.9 millionUS$ 375 million+4.6%
28.34Nitrites; nitratesUS$ 245 million+39%US$ 2.7 million+14%
28.14Ammonia; anhydrous or in aqueous solutionUS$ 1.2 millionUS$ 163 million+57%
28.41Salts of oxometallic or peroxometallic acidsUS$ 75.1 million+151%US$ 995 thousand
28.15Sodium hydroxide (caustic soda); potassium hydroxide (caustic potash) peroxides of sodium or potassium—US$ 69.6 million−9.2%
28.27Chlorides; chloride oxides and chloride hydroxides; bromides and bromide oxides; iodides and iodide oxidesUS$ 43.5 million+8.3%US$ 23.1 million−8.9%
28.10Oxides of boron; boric acidsUS$ 41.1 million−10%US$ 647 thousand
28.37Cyanides, cyanide oxides and complex cyanidesUS$ 932 thousandUS$ 37.2 million+20%
28.35Phosphinates (hypophosphites), phosphonates (phosphites), and phosphates; and polyphosphates, whether or not chemically definedUS$ 1.9 million+6.6%US$ 26.0 million−5.6%
28.03Carbon; carbon blacks and other forms of carbon n.e.c.US$ 56 thousandUS$ 22.4 million−4.3%
28.30Sulphides; polysulphides whether or not chemically definedUS$ 28 thousandUS$ 20.8 million−1.8%
28.11Inorganic acids and other inorganic oxygen compounds of non-metals; n.e.c. in heading no. 2806 to 2810US$ 592 thousandUS$ 12.5 million−29%
28.47Hydrogen peroxide; whether or not solidified with ureaUS$ 3 thousandUS$ 12.8 million−7.9%
28.04Hydrogen, rare gases and other non-metalsUS$ 1.3 million−46%US$ 11.0 million−1.1%
28.29Chlorates and perchlorates; bromates and perbromates; iodates and periodatesUS$ 8.7 million+1.6%US$ 2.0 million
28.32Sulphites; thiosulphatesUS$ 70 thousandUS$ 6.9 million+25%
28.17Zinc; oxide and peroxideUS$ 497 thousandUS$ 6.3 million−1.5%
28.09Diphosphorus pentaoxide; phosphoric acid; polyphosphoric acids, whether or not chemically definedUS$ 1 thousandUS$ 6.8 million−15%
28.08Nitric acid; sulphonitric acidsUS$ 3.7 million+41%US$ 350 thousand
28.21Iron oxides and hydroxides; earth colours containing 70% or more by weight of combined iron evaluated as Fe2o3US$ 88 thousandUS$ 3.4 million−0.1%
28.53Phosphides, chemically defined or not, not ferrophosphorus; other inorganic compounds n.e.c. (including distilled, conductivity water and water of like purity); liquid air, rare gases removed or not; compressed air; amalgams, not precious metal amalgamsUS$ 1.7 million+0.4%US$ 1.6 million−9.2%
28.19Chromium oxides and hydroxidesUS$ 4 thousandUS$ 3.1 million+42%
28.06Hydrogen chloride (hydrochloric acid); chlorosulphuric acidUS$ 29 thousandUS$ 3.0 million+7.4%
28.44Radioactive chemical elements and radioactive isotopes (including the fissile or fertile chemical elements and isotopes); and their compounds; mixtures and residues containing these productsUS$ 11 thousandUS$ 2.7 million+40%
28.28Hypochlorites; commercial calcium hypochlorite; chlorites; hypobromitesUS$ 31 thousandUS$ 2.3 million−5.2%
28.18Aluminium oxide (including artificial corundum); aluminium hydroxideUS$ 2 thousandUS$ 2.4 million−41%
28.13Sulphides of non-metals; commercial phosphorus trisulphideUS$ 2.3 million+22%US$ 4 thousand
28.40Borates; peroxoborates (perborates)US$ 48 thousandUS$ 2.2 million+34%
28.49Carbides, whether or not chemically definedUS$ 200US$ 2.2 million
28.39Silicates; commercial alkali metal silicatesUS$ 472 thousandUS$ 1.2 million−15%
28.50Hydrides, nitrides, azides, silicides and borides, whether or not chemically defined, other than compounds which are also carbides of heading no. 2849US$ 67 thousandUS$ 1.2 million
28.23Titanium oxidesUS$ 67 thousandUS$ 880 thousand
28.42Salts of inorganic acids or peroxoacids, n.e.c. including aluminosilicates whether or not chemically defined, but excluding azidesUS$ 11 thousandUS$ 781 thousand−42%
28.46Compounds, inorganic or organic, of rare-earth metals; of yttrium or of scandium or of mixtures of these metalsUS$ 395US$ 715 thousand
28.24Lead oxides; red lead and orange leadUS$ 28 thousandUS$ 557 thousand
28.26Fluorides; fluorosilicates, fluoroaluminates and other complex fluorine salts—US$ 507 thousand
28.31Dithionites and sulphoxylatesUS$ 460 thousandUS$ 39 thousand
28.43Colloidal precious metals; inorganic or organic compounds of precious metals, whether or not chemically defined; amalgams of precious metalsUS$ 179US$ 383 thousand
28.12Halides and halide oxides of non-metalsUS$ 3 thousandUS$ 352 thousand
28.20Manganese oxidesUS$ 6 thousandUS$ 318 thousand
28.52Inorganic or organic compounds of mercury, excluding amalgams, whether or not chemically definedUS$ 21 thousandUS$ 269 thousand
28.16Hydroxide and peroxide of magnesium; oxides, hydroxides and peroxides of strontium or barium—US$ 239 thousand
28.45Isotopes other than those of heading no. 2844; compounds, inorganic or organic, of such isotopes, whether or not chemically defined—US$ 208 thousand
28.05Alkali or alkaline-earth metals; rare-earth metals, scandium and yttrium, whether or not intermixed or interalloyed; mercuryUS$ 2 thousandUS$ 24 thousand
28.22Cobalt oxides and hydroxides; commercial cobalt oxides—US$ 1 thousand
28.02Sulphur; sublimed or precipitated, colloidal sulphur—US$ 755

A change is shown only where the same months of the year before added up to at least US$ 1.0 million.

How it is measured

Where the figures come from
Every export and import declaration the Servicio Nacional de Aduanas processed since January 2025, added up as Aduanas publishes them in its open databases. Nothing is estimated. They are amounts of trade, not PuroChile indicators, and they are never divided by census figures.
FOB and CIF
Exports are valued FOB («free on board»): what the goods are worth loaded on the ship, plane or truck that takes them out of Chile. Imports are valued CIF («cost, insurance and freight»): what they are worth on arrival in Chile, with insurance and freight paid. That is how Aduanas publishes them. So «exports less imports» is not the Central Bank's trade balance, which values imports without insurance or freight.
Which months
The figures at the top add up January–July 2026: the months of this year both databases already carry, against the same months of 2025. Aduanas replaces the running year's database every month, so this year's months can still be corrected. «s/d» on a chart is a month the database does not carry — not a month without trade.
Changes
A change is shown only where the same months of the year before added up to at least US$ 1.0 million.
The codes
Aduanas classifies every good with a code of the Arancel Aduanero, which is the international Harmonized System with two Chilean digits added: 2 digits are the chapter (74, copper), 4 the heading (74.03, refined copper), 6 the subheading (7403.11, cathodes) and 8 Chile's own tariff line. Names are the Arancel's; in English, the Harmonized System 2022's. Chile's Section 0 and its 8-digit lines have no English text and are shown in Spanish.
Port and customs office
The port is where the cargo physically passes: loaded for an export, unloaded for an import. The customs office is the branch of the Service that processes the declaration. They are not always the same place: the Aduana de Antofagasta processes what is loaded at Mejillones.
What is not here
Customs agents: every declaration names the agent who filed it, but Aduanas's open databases leave that field out, and PuroChile does not estimate it.
A month at zero
A month with no bar is one in which nothing was declared under this code; «s/d» is one the database does not carry.

Source: Servicio Nacional de Aduanas · How each figure is checked →