Sourcing nickel sulphate from China

Nickel sulphate: 4% duty from China

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 5 November 2026, nickel sulphate under 2833 24 00 00 carries 4% duty from China. The supplied record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension for this line. Heading 2833 covers sulphates, alums and peroxosulphates. The table shows buying variants sharing the nickel sulphate code, rather than separate tariff lines.

The UK Trade Tariff attaches an import waste control and an export waste control. Waste shipment controls apply only when the material is waste. For a shipment from China to England subject to notification controls, the exporter applies through the dispatch country's competent authority; shipment can start after consent from the Environment Agency and the other competent authorities involved. Ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable requirement for recovered or waste material.

Confirm the commodity code from the substance identity, hydrate and composition before ordering. For another product within the wider heading, see copper sulphate.

Specify nickel content and impurity limits

State whether the order is for electroplating, battery material production or laboratory work. Specify the hydrate, nickel content and whether assay is reported on an as-received or dry basis. Agree limits for cobalt, iron, copper, zinc, chloride and insoluble matter, with test methods and a certificate of analysis tied to each batch. A grade name alone is insufficient.

For Great Britain, check UK REACH registration arrangements if annual imports reach one tonne of the substance. Where a new registration is required and downstream user notification provisions do not apply, complete registration is required before imports reach that level. Request the safety data sheet before approving supply: it is required when a hazardous chemical is supplied for workplace use.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative pilot order of nickel sulphate crystals in 25 kg bags under 2833 24 00 00, invoiced at £4,800 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £6,300. Duty at 4% is £252. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £6,552, so it is £1,310.40. Import taxes total £1,562.40; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £252 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match the hydrate, product description and batch identifiers on the bags, invoice and certificate of analysis.

Analysis: independently check nickel content and agreed impurities against the contract, using the same reporting basis as the supplier.

Condition: check crystals for caking, foreign material and moisture damage; test dissolution and insoluble residue against the agreed method.

Packing: check net weights, sealed liners, intact bags and legible batch marks. Compare hazard information on the packaging with the safety data sheet.

What goes wrong

A nickel-content result can look acceptable while the hydrate or reporting basis differs from the order. Impurity carry-over, insoluble residue and wet, caked bags can also make a batch unsuitable for the buyer's process. Approve a representative sample and agree batch acceptance tests before shipment.

A certificate for a sample does not establish the quality of the shipment. Match arrival samples to the delivered batch and investigate discrepancies before releasing it into production. Use the inspection guide to define sampling and reporting.

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.