Sourcing cerium metal from China

Cerium metal duty and suspensions

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 4 October 2026, heading 2805 covers rare-earth metals, including cerium, alongside alkali metals, alkaline-earth metals and mercury. This guide concerns cerium metal and relevant rare-earth blends. For the wider family, see rare-earth and alkali metals.

Cerium metal of at least 95% purity under 2805 30 21 10 has normal duty of 2%, with a suspension at 0.00 %. Other cerium metal under 2805 30 80 00 pays 2%. Relevant rare-earth alloy lines normally pay 4%; the alloy line containing at least 47% cerium also has a suspension at 0.00 %. No anti-dumping or countervailing duty is recorded for these lines. The suspension footnote excludes mixtures, preparations and multi-component products containing the listed products.

The tariff attaches import and export waste controls to these lines. For cerium waste from China entering England under notification controls, the exporter applies to the dispatch country's competent authority; shipment requires consent from the Environment Agency and other authorities involved. Confirm the applicable waste route with your customs broker before ordering scrap. Confirm the commodity code from composition and purity, and check suspension eligibility rather than relying on the sales name.

Specify cerium content, impurities and metal form

State whether you need separated cerium or a cerium-containing rare-earth alloy. Specify cerium content by total mass, the basis used for any relative rare-earth purity claim, and limits for other rare earths, iron, oxygen and carbon. Agree ingots or pieces, the accepted size range, net metal weight and the sampling method. Ask for a certificate of analysis tied to the actual production lot.

Agree sealed drums under argon or vacuum and handling instructions for the supplied form. Confirm your UK REACH registration position and any applicable annual import threshold with HSE; registration is per substance and legal entity. Substances supplied in Great Britain must be classified and labelled under its chemical classification rules. Hazardous chemicals supplied for workplace use need a safety data sheet.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 500 kg of cerium metal below the specified purity threshold under 2805 30 80 00, invoiced at £15,000 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £16,200. Duty at 2% is £324. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £16,524, so it is £3,304.80. Import taxes total £3,628.80; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £324 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match the drum lot marks, invoice description and analysis certificate; distinguish separated cerium from an alloy.

Assay: independently check cerium and neighbouring rare-earth content, iron, oxygen and carbon against the agreed limits.

Packing: check drum closures, seal damage and evidence of oxidation; arrange opening and sampling under the agreed handling procedure.

Documents: compare the safety data sheet, hazard labels and supplied metal form. Keep inspection findings linked to the lot through quality inspection.

What goes wrong

A certificate reports total rare-earth content while the buyer expects cerium content. Residual neighbouring rare earths then make the lot unsuitable for the intended alloy recipe. Damaged seals allow oxidation, and pieces arrive with more fines than agreed. Compare the certificate's purity basis with independent analysis before accepting the lot.

A cerium-rich blend is ordered or declared as separated cerium, creating a mismatch between composition and the claimed suspension. Resolve that mismatch before shipment. Treat scrap offers separately: the tariff's waste-control entry needs a shipment-specific check, even when the supplier describes the material as reusable metal.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.