Sourcing fused magnesia from China

Zero duty on fused magnesia

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 8 November 2026, heading 2519 covers fused magnesia alongside magnesite and other magnesia. Fused magnesia with purity by weight of 94% or more is listed under 2519 90 10 10; other fused magnesia is covered by 2519 90 10 90. Both carry 0% duty for goods from China. No anti-dumping duty, countervailing duty or suspension is recorded. The table separates heating-element and refractory applications under these same commodity lines.

The tariff attaches import waste controls and also records export waste controls. If the supplier offers recovered material, ask your customs broker to confirm whether waste requirements apply to the shipment from China. For imports into England subject to waste notification controls, the exporter must apply to the competent authority in the country of dispatch for consent.

Confirm the commodity code using the production route, purity and product description. For related products within the wider heading, see the caustic calcined magnesia guide.

Specify insulation performance and grain chemistry

For tubular heating elements, specify electrical insulation performance and particle-size distribution alongside magnesium oxide content. Agree the test method and sample conditioning with your processor before approving the grade. A chemistry report alone does not demonstrate performance in your heating element.

For refractory use, agree magnesium oxide content, lime-to-silica ratio, iron and boron limits, grain bulk density and particle size. Request an analysis tied to the shipment lot and retain an approved sample. Specify lined, sealed bags and dry storage. Check UK REACH registration obligations for your annual import volume before ordering.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 25 tonnes of fused magnesia in lined bulk bags under 2519 90 10 10, invoiced at £12,000 free on board, with £2,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £14,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £14,500, so it is £2,900. 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 bag labels, lot references and the analysis report to the ordered fused grade.

Chemistry: compare magnesium oxide, lime, silica, iron and boron results with the agreed specification.

Performance: sieve a representative sample and check electrical insulation for heating-element grades or grain bulk density for refractory grades.

Packing: inspect liners, seals and bags before loading and on arrival; record dampness, hard lumps and torn packaging before accepting the lot.

What goes wrong

The delivered lot may meet a broad purity description but fail the agreed impurity, grain-size or insulation specification. Keep chemistry and application tests separate, and test material from the actual shipment rather than relying on an earlier sample.

Moisture uptake can hydrate magnesia and cause caking. Damaged liners or damp storage can turn free-flowing material into hard lumps. Hold affected bags apart and compare arrival samples with the retained approved sample before releasing material into production.

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.