Sourcing natural olivine foundry sand from China

Zero duty on the residual mineral line

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 2530 covers mineral substances not elsewhere specified or included. The residual line 2530 90 70 90 carries 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension recorded in the supplied tariff facts. Treat this as a candidate code for natural olivine sand, rather than a classification of coated sand or binder mixtures.

The tariff attaches import and export waste controls. Waste shipment controls apply only where the material is waste. For a China-to-England shipment subject to notification controls, the exporter applies to the dispatch authority for consent; shipment follows consent from the Environment Agency and other authorities involved. Ask your customs broker to confirm the control for the actual material and route, particularly for reclaimed foundry sand.

Confirm the mineral identity, processing and any added binder or coating through finding your commodity code. The table contains the relevant residual line only. For other minerals within the heading, see the vermiculite and perlite guide.

Specify the mineral and sieve grading

Specify virgin natural olivine sand, its deposit and processing history. Ask for mineral identification and a batch analysis covering magnesium, iron, free crystalline silica and other mineral impurities. Agree the sieve distribution, allowable fines, moisture and grain shape against a retained sample. State whether the sand must be uncoated and free from added binder.

Trial the proposed grade with your own binder, moulding equipment and casting process. Compare mould strength, surface finish, burn-on and shakeout with your current sand before approving repeat supply. Employers must protect workers from dust and fume hazards under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations; the olivine name alone is not a dust-control assessment.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 25 tonnes of natural olivine foundry sand in bulk bags; FOB and freight values are illustrative under 2530 90 70 90, invoiced at £9,000 free on board, with £3,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £12,200. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £12,200, so it is £2,440. 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 deposit, batch reference and mineral analysis to the approved sample and shipping documents.

Grading: sieve representative samples from different bags and compare the distribution and fines with the purchase specification.

Condition: check moisture, caking, foreign particles and contamination; retain an arrival sample for comparison with production results.

Packing: inspect bag seams, liners, lifting loops and batch labels for leakage, damage and mixed lots.

What goes wrong

A supplier changes the deposit or blends grades after sample approval. Excess fines increase dust and alter binder demand; wet or caked sand mixes inconsistently. A material sold simply as olivine may contain mineral impurities that the buyer has not assessed. Compare batch analysis and sieve results before releasing the delivery into production.

Reclaimed sand can arrive with residual binder or metal contamination and uncertain waste status. Waste controls depend on whether the material is classed as waste, so settle that question before shipment. Keep virgin sand and reclaimed material separately described in the enquiry, order and inspection brief.

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.