Sourcing kyanite aggregate from China

Kyanite duty and waste status

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 6 November 2026, kyanite under 2508 50 00 00 carries 0% duty on goods from China. The supplied tariff record shows no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. Heading 2508 covers other clays, andalusite, kyanite and sillimanite, whether or not calcined, mullite, and chamotte or dinas earths.

The UK Trade Tariff attaches import and export waste controls. Official guidance for England says waste shipment controls apply only if the material is waste. For goods from China, confirm the attached import requirement with your customs broker, especially for reclaimed or spent refractory material; this guide does not establish the applicable waste procedure for a particular consignment.

The table includes kyanite's shared mineral line and related refractory materials, not alternative codes for the same product. Confirm the commodity code using composition and processing details. See the andalusite refractory aggregate guide for the wider heading.

Specify mineral identity and firing behaviour

Name kyanite explicitly and state whether you want uncalcined or calcined material. Agree mineral composition, alumina and iron content, particle-size distribution, fines, moisture and packaging. Ask the supplier to identify the mine and processing site and provide analysis tied to the offered batch.

Agree a firing trial using your refractory formulation and firing cycle, with acceptance criteria for dimensional change and fired performance. Compare the delivered material with the approved sample rather than relying on an alumina result alone.

UK REACH regulates chemicals placed on the market in Great Britain. Check the supplied mineral's REACH position using its identity, processing history and additives before sale; do not treat the tariff code as chemical compliance evidence.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 10 tonnes of kyanite refractory aggregate in bulk bags under 2508 50 00 00, invoiced at £9,000 free on board, with £3,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £12,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £12,000, so it is £2,400. 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: compare batch analysis and mineral identification with the approved kyanite sample.

Grading: sieve arrival samples against the agreed distribution and check fines, moisture and caking.

Firing: repeat the agreed formulation trial and compare dimensional change and fired performance.

Packing: check bag condition, lifting loops, batch marks and declared net weights; retain labelled samples.

What goes wrong

A chemical analysis can look acceptable while mineral identity or grading differs from the approved sample. Excess fines change handling and mixing, damp material cakes, and an unsuitable firing response can upset the refractory formulation. Hold affected batches until the agreed checks resolve the difference.

Mixed batch marks and generic analysis reports make disputes harder to resolve. Link the purchase specification, retained sample, analysis and inspection record to the delivered lot. Arrange independent testing where mineral identity or firing results remain uncertain.

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.