Sourcing rough basalt blocks from China

Duty and waste controls for rough basalt blocks

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 8 November 2026, rough basalt blocks under 2516 90 00 00 carried 0% duty from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension shown. Heading 2516 covers monumental or building stone that is crude, roughly trimmed or merely cut into rectangular blocks or slabs. The table distinguishes basalt forms sharing the same commodity line.

The tariff attaches import and export waste controls to this line. Ask your customs broker to confirm the requirement for your consignment from China, including its waste status. For waste imports into England under notification controls, shipment can start only after consent from the Environment Agency and the other competent authorities involved.

Confirm the commodity code using the rock identity, shape and processing description. Polished, flamed, edged or otherwise worked stone falls under heading 6802. For the other stones within this heading, see our granite and sandstone blocks guide.

Specify the quarry bed and usable block

Specify natural basalt, the quarry and extraction bed, approved colour and texture, and whether blocks are crude, roughly trimmed or merely sawn. Agree usable dimensions after cutting away irregular faces, acceptable cavities, cracks and weathered material, and how rejected blocks will be recorded. Ask for photographs of the actual blocks alongside their identification marks.

Request petrographic identification and reports for density, absorption, strength and frost resistance relevant to the intended use. Match reports and samples to the supplying quarry bed. Before processing in the UK, employers must assess and control the risks from stone dust exposure.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative shipment: 25 tonnes of rough basalt 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 marks, quarry records and packing lists to the approved source and sample.

Faces: inspect dry and wetted surfaces for cracks, cavities, weathered zones, veins and colour differences.

Usable size: measure the agreed cutting envelope and record damaged corners or irregular faces that reduce recovery.

Packing: check supports, separation and lashings before dispatch, then photograph movement or damage on arrival before unloading. Solid wood packaging used for imports into Great Britain must meet the applicable requirements.

What goes wrong

A sample can represent a different quarry bed from the shipment. Hidden cracks and cavities may appear only after sawing, while weathered faces and chipped corners reduce the usable block. A dark surface colour alone does not establish that the stone matches the ordered basalt.

Keep approval samples and block photographs linked to the shipment. Inspect before loading and record arrival defects against the same block marks. Agree how cutting defects will be evidenced with the supplier; see our quality 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.