Sourcing mica and mica powder from China
Mica from China, including crude and split mica, ground mica powder and mica waste, pays 0% UK duty on all three lines of heading 2525, with no anti-dumping duty. Buyers for paint, plastics, cosmetics, welding rods and insulation check type, particle size and whiteness, and larger firms must report the steps they take against forced labour in supply chains.
Crude and split mica, mica powder and mica waste from China pay 0% UK duty. Grade, particle size, supply chain due diligence and dust checks explained.
0% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, heading 2525 covers mica, including splittings, and mica waste. All three lines, crude mica and mica rifted into sheets or splittings (2525 10 00 00), mica powder (2525 20 00 00) and mica waste (2525 30 00 00), carried 0% on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure, no registration and no suspension.
Worked mica such as sheet, tape and agglomerated mica is heading 6814 (see our mica sheet and mica tape guide); confirm the commodity code.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crude mica and mica rifted into sheets or splittings | 2525 10 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Mica powder | 2525 20 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Mica waste | 2525 30 00 00 | 0% | None |
Supply chain and chemical rules
Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 requires a commercial organisation that supplies goods or services and has turnover at or above the prescribed amount to prepare a slavery and human trafficking statement for each financial year, setting out the steps it has taken in its supply chains. Ask the processor where the mica ore comes from and for traceability to the mine.
Mica is a substance under UK REACH, so importers of one tonne or more a year need a registration position, and fine powder needs dust control in handling.
Specifying mica
Specify mica type (muscovite, phlogopite or synthetic fluorphlogopite, which is classified elsewhere), dry or wet ground, particle size or mesh, aspect ratio, whiteness, moisture, loss on ignition, iron and heavy metal limits for cosmetic grades, and packing.
Worked duty example
An invented example rather than a quote: 10 tonnes of wet-ground muscovite mica powder, commodity code 2525 20 00 00, bought for £9,000 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance, so £10,200 is the value customs works from. No duty is due on mica powder; import VAT at 20% of £10,200 is £2,040. If you are VAT-registered, that VAT is normally reclaimable. See calculating UK import duty and VAT for the method.
Inspection checklist
Analysis: check particle size, whiteness and moisture on the certificate, and verify a sample in an independent laboratory.
Traceability: check the origin documents for the ore against the supplier's declaration.
Packing: check bag integrity, weight and lot marking.
What goes wrong
Mica orders fail on grade and origin. Particle size or whiteness differs from the sample, dry-ground powder is shipped against a wet-ground order, heavy metals exceed cosmetic limits, and the ore's origin cannot be traced.
Test samples before shipping. See our quality inspection guide.
Cambridge China Bridge sources mica and mica powder for UK paint, plastics, cosmetics and insulation buyers, checking the processor and its ore sources first. See factory verification.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on mica powder from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, mica powder under 2525 20 00 00 carried 0% from China.
Is mica tape in heading 2525?
No. Worked mica such as sheet and tape is heading 6814.
Do I need to report on mica supply chains?
Organisations above the prescribed turnover must publish a slavery and human trafficking statement each year.
What fails most often?
Particle size and whiteness that differ from the sample, and ore that cannot be traced.