Sourcing chromite foundry sand from China

Duty on chromite foundry sand

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 2610 covers chromium ores and concentrates under 2610 00 00 00. This guide concerns chromite mineral sand for foundry use. The table shows product forms under the same tariff line, rather than separate commodity codes. See the chromium ores and concentrates guide for the wider heading.

The supplied record shows 0% duty for goods from China, no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, and no suspensions. It attaches import and export waste controls. For waste from China imported into England under notification controls, confirm with the relevant waste authority who should start the application and where it should be submitted. Shipment requires consent from the destination, dispatch and transit authorities. Ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable procedure, including any controls on a subsequent export.

Confirm the commodity code using the mineral identity, processing history and details of any coating or binder. Do not assume reclaimed sand or a prepared mixture has the same classification as newly produced mineral sand. The import duty and VAT guide explains how freight and import VAT affect the calculation.

Specify chemistry and the full grain distribution

State whether the sand is for moulds, cores or facing, and whether it must be uncoated. Agree chromium oxide content on a dry basis, silica and other impurity limits, moisture, bulk density and the full sieve distribution. Set limits for fines and oversized grains rather than accepting only an average grain size. Ask the foundry to approve a representative sample in its own binder system.

Request the mine origin and the Chinese supplier's washing, drying and screening records. Distinguish newly produced mineral sand from reclaimed casting sand. Agree independent sampling, sealed retained samples and the method for resolving disputed results. Specify bag liners, closures and batch identification. Use factory verification to check the processing equipment and laboratory.

Ask HSE to confirm whether natural ores and concentrates that are not chemically modified qualify for a UK REACH registration exemption, using the actual processing history. Request safety information for handling and resale. Employers must plan, manage and monitor the use of substances hazardous to health; include dusty unloading and sand transfer in the receiving site's handling review.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of uncoated chromite foundry sand in bulk bags for a foundry under 2610 00 00 00, invoiced at £40,000 free on board, with £6,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £46,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £46,000, so it is £9,200. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match the mineral description, processing history, batch marks and assay report to the purchase order.

Chemistry: independently sample the shipment and compare dry-basis chromium oxide content and agreed impurities with the specification.

Grading: check the complete sieve distribution, fines, oversized grains and moisture against the approved sample.

Packing: inspect bag seams, liners, closures, leakage and wet patches. Keep batch samples separate and plan checks with the quality inspection guide.

What goes wrong

A sample can meet the assay while the delivered sand has excess fines or a different grain distribution. Changes in grading can alter binder demand and mould performance. Wet sand may cake, and mixed batches can conceal inconsistent chemistry. Compare shipment samples with the approved material and investigate differences before putting the lot into production.

Reclaimed sand supplied as new mineral sand can introduce binder residue, contamination and an unresolved waste classification. Establish its status before booking transport. For notified waste imported into England, ask the Environment Agency to confirm the importer's carrier, broker or dealer registration requirements and the recovery facility's permit or exemption requirements for the proposed treatment.

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.