Sourcing rough rhyolite blocks from China

Duty on rough rhyolite blocks

Heading 2516 covers rough, roughly trimmed and merely sawn monumental or building stone. For rhyolite blocks, the relevant supplied line is other monumental or building stone, 2516 90 00 00. The table shows forms within that same line, rather than separate tariff subheadings. See the wider granite and sandstone blocks guide.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 4 October 2026, the supplied line carries 0% duty for goods from China, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. The tariff attaches import and export waste controls. Confirm with your customs broker whether the consignment falls within waste controls and which requirements apply to its movement from China.

For waste imports to England under notification controls, the exporter must apply to the competent authority in the dispatch country for consent. Do not treat that procedure as a requirement for every stone purchase. Confirm the commodity code using the rock description, photographs, shape and processing history; polished or otherwise worked stone is covered separately under heading 6802.

Specify the quarry bed and usable rhyolite

Specify rhyolite by quarry and extraction bed, supported by a petrographic description rather than a supplier's colour name alone. Agree the acceptable colour range, flow banding, inclusions and staining against wet and dry samples. State whether the order is for crude, roughly trimmed or merely sawn blocks.

Agree usable cutting dimensions, measurement points, permitted edge loss, crack acceptance and block identification. Ask for density, absorption, strength and frost-resistance reports from the proposed quarry bed for the intended use. A trial cut helps assess whether the block yields the required pieces.

Include a packing plan showing bearers, separation and lashing. Check solid timber packing for a legible ISPM15 mark; official guidance says wood packaging with that mark meets the standard. Use factory verification to check the supplier and quarry connection before ordering.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 25 tonnes of rough rhyolite 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 the stone description to the approved samples.

Faces: inspect each face wet and dry for open cracks, weak bands, inclusions and iron staining.

Yield: measure usable dimensions beyond damaged edges and compare a trial cut with the agreed cutting plan.

Packing: check bearers, lashing, block separation and timber marks before dispatch; photograph movement, chips and cracks on arrival before processing.

What goes wrong

A small sample can hide changes in colour and banding across the block. Cracks or weak seams revealed during cutting reduce usable yield even when the outside dimensions match the order. Approve material from the intended quarry bed and record acceptance criteria for the whole block.

Loose restraints and poor support can cause edge damage or fresh fractures in transit. Keep dispatch and arrival photographs linked to block identities so the supplier can distinguish quarry defects from transport damage. Plan the checks with 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.