WASHINGTON, Jan 12 (Reuters) - The U.S. International Trade Commission on Friday said in an initial finding that imports of aluminum alloy sheet metal from China harm U.S. producers, allowing a U.S. probe into whether the product was being dumped or subsidized to move forward.

Employing a seldom-used tactic aimed at speeding up the imposition of duties, the U.S. Commerce Department in November “self-initiated” anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations of the imports, which are typically used in construction and in transportation and electrical equipment.

It estimated it would impose anti-dumping duties of about 56.54 percent to 59.72 percent in the case.

About $603.6 million worth of the flat-rolled metal was imported from China in 2016. (Writing by Eric Walsh; Reporting by Tim Ahmann; Editing by Susan Heavey and Tom Brown)