Sourcing Rough Andesite Blocks from China

Duty on rough andesite blocks

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 4 October 2026, heading 2516 covers monumental or building stone that is crude, roughly trimmed or merely cut into rectangular blocks or slabs. Rough andesite falls within other monumental or building stone, 2516 90 00 00. The table shows forms within this same commodity line, rather than separate tariff lines.

The supplied tariff record gives 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measure and no suspension recorded. It attaches import and export waste controls. If stone from China is waste subject to notification controls, shipment to England needs consent from the Environment Agency and the other competent authorities involved. Confirm the waste status and applicable procedure with your customs broker before dispatch.

Polished, flamed, edged or otherwise worked stone moves to heading 6802, as explained in the wider stone guide. Give your broker the rock description, photographs, shape and processing history to confirm the commodity code.

Specify the quarry and usable block

Ask for the quarry location, extraction bed and a petrographic description identifying the stone as andesite. Match the order to a retained sample from that bed. Specify colour, grain, acceptable veins and weathering, minimum usable dimensions after trimming, cutting allowance and whether blocks are crude, roughly trimmed or merely sawn.

Request reports from the same quarry bed for density, absorption, strength and frost resistance where relevant to the intended use. Agree how open cracks, repaired areas and unusable corners will be assessed. A small sample cannot establish the usable yield of a whole block.

Solid wood packaging used to import goods into Great Britain must meet ISPM15. Include this in the packing brief alongside supports, separation and securing arrangements. Before trial cutting, plan dust controls: working stone containing crystalline silica produces respirable crystalline silica dust.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 25 tonnes of rough andesite blocks under 2516 90 00 00, invoiced at £11,000 free on board, with £2,400 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £13,400. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £13,400, so it is £2,680. 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 block markings, quarry records and bed identification to the approved sample and test reports.

Faces: inspect accessible faces dry and wet for cracks, veins, weathered patches and undisclosed repairs; photograph defects before dispatch and on arrival.

Yield: measure usable dimensions and assess damaged corners against the agreed trimming and cutting allowances.

Packing: check supports, separation and securing before loading; on arrival, record displaced blocks, damaged packing and fresh chips before accepting the condition.

What goes wrong

A supplier substitutes stone from another quarry bed, so colour or texture changes after cutting. A block meets its outside dimensions but cracks or weathered corners reduce usable yield. Surface photographs miss internal flaws, while poor support or securing causes fresh fractures in transit.

Keep the approved sample, block photographs and agreed defect criteria with the order. Where yield matters, agree a trial cut before approving the shipment. Check the quarry and processor through factory verification, and define the inspection scope using the inspection guide.

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.