Sourcing Maghemite Powder from China
Maghemite powder from China under the iron oxides line carries 4% UK duty, with no duty variation in the supplied heading snapshot. Correct labelling and packaging are required before supply in Great Britain. Specify phase identity and magnetic performance. Cambridge China Bridge sources maghemite powder.
Maghemite powder: 4% UK duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 2821 covers iron oxides and hydroxides and qualifying earth colours. The iron oxides line, 2821 10 00 00, carries 4% duty for goods from China. The supplied snapshot lists no anti-dumping or countervailing measures and no suspensions. The table shows purchasing applications sharing this tariff line, rather than separate commodity codes.
The UK Trade Tariff attaches import and export waste controls. If the Chinese consignment is waste subject to notification controls, the exporter must apply to the competent authority in the dispatch country for consent. Ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable waste procedure before shipment, including any requirements affecting rejected material returned overseas.
This guide concerns manufactured maghemite powder. Natural iron oxides fall under heading 2530, while dispersions and preparations with binders may fall in chapter 32. Confirm the composition and form through finding your commodity code. For wider heading coverage, see magnetite powder.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maghemite powder for industrial processing | 2821 10 00 00 | 4% | None |
Specify the phase, particles and magnetic response
Name maghemite explicitly in the purchase specification. Request phase identification by X-ray diffraction, with the method and interpretation supplied for the production batch. Agree acceptable other phases, iron oxide content, moisture and impurities. A description such as magnetic iron oxide is too broad for a phase-specific order.
Specify particle size distribution, the measurement method and sample preparation. Distinguish primary particles from agglomerates. Agree magnetic performance with the test conditions stated, including the applied field and sample condition. Record any surface treatment and compare dispersion in your actual process with an approved sample.
Before supply in Great Britain, importers and other suppliers must ensure correct labelling and packaging under the chemical classification, labelling and packaging rules. Request the safety data sheet for review. Confirm any UK REACH registration obligations with HSE for your planned annual imports. Agree these checks before ordering.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: One tonne of maghemite powder; illustrative order, not a quotation under 2821 10 00 00, invoiced at £16,000 free on board, with £2,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £18,200. Duty at 4% is £728. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £18,928, so it is £3,785.60. Import taxes total £4,513.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £728 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Identity: match the batch certificate and phase report to the bag labels and purchase specification; investigate unexplained phases or missing batch references.
Particle behaviour: check the agreed size distribution and dispersion method; record hard agglomerates, coarse residue and differences from the approved sample.
Magnetic performance: compare the batch results with the agreed acceptance limits using the same test conditions; retain a labelled sample for comparison.
Packing: check liners, closures, moisture damage, powder leakage and net weights; reconcile bag and pallet batch references with the packing list.
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What goes wrong
A supplier may offer a general magnetic iron oxide grade when the buyer needs maghemite specifically. A magnetic response alone does not establish phase identity. Certificates without batch references or test conditions leave little basis for comparing deliveries. Make the phase report and acceptance methods part of the purchase agreement.
Fine powder can arrive as hard agglomerates or disperse differently from the approved sample. Moisture, surface treatment and changes in processing can undermine an otherwise acceptable certificate. Trial a representative production sample in your process and compare arrival samples through an agreed quality inspection.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on maghemite powder from China?
The supplied tariff snapshot gives 4% for iron oxides under 2821 10 00 00, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing measures or suspensions.
How do I check that the powder is maghemite?
Request a batch-specific X-ray diffraction report and agree acceptance criteria for other phases. Compare it with the purchase specification; a magnetic response alone is insufficient.
Which particle size should I specify?
Specify the distribution your process needs, together with the test method and sample preparation. Ask whether the results describe primary particles or agglomerates.
Can I import recovered maghemite as ordinary powder?
Do not assume so. The tariff attaches waste controls. Ask your customs broker to establish the material's status and applicable procedure before the Chinese supplier dispatches it.