Sourcing silver casting grain from China
Silver casting grain entered as unwrought silver from China carries 0% UK duty, with no trade remedy listed. Raw material is exempt from compulsory hallmarking, but buyers should check UK REACH registration responsibilities and verify each alloy batch. Cambridge China Bridge sources silver casting grain.
Duty and classification for silver grain
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 7106 covers silver, including silver plated with gold or platinum, in unwrought, semi-manufactured or powder form. For casting grain supplied as unwrought silver, the relevant line is 7106 91 00 00. The supplied facts contain only this grain-relevant line, so the table does not invent additional commodity entries.
All supplied heading lines carry 0% duty for goods from China. The unwrought line lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control. The separate powder line has a waste import control: the UK Trade Tariff attaches that control, and an importer considering powder or waste material should confirm the requirement with their customs broker.
Confirm composition and physical form with your broker using finding your commodity code. See the silver sheet and strip guide for the wider heading. Duty and VAT calculation methods are explained in UK import duty and VAT. For leaf format, see our silver leaf sourcing guide.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unwrought silver casting grain | 7106 91 00 00 | 0% | None |
Specify the alloy and casting behaviour
State whether you want fine silver or a ready-alloyed casting material. Specify silver content, the complete alloy composition, agreed impurity limits, grain size range, net weight, batch identification and sealed packing. Agree whether the workshop will add alloying metal before casting. Request an assay report tied to the production batch and retain an approved sample.
Raw silver grain sold as casting material falls within the raw-material exemption from compulsory hallmarking. Finished jewellery has separate hallmarking requirements, subject to exemptions. Do not treat a grain assay report as a hallmark for the finished article.
Check UK REACH responsibilities for silver and any alloy constituents. HSE states that a GB-based legal entity importing a substance at or above 1 tonne per year must submit a registration; substances in mixtures are assessed by their aggregated annual import volumes. Confirm the applicable registration arrangements before increasing imports.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative batch of sterling silver casting grain for a jewellery workshop under 7106 91 00 00, invoiced at £30,000 free on board, with £300 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £30,300. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £30,300, so it is £6,060. 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
Composition: compare an independent batch assay with the agreed silver content and alloy recipe; do not accept appearance as proof of fineness.
Weight and identity: weigh received material on a calibrated scale, allow for packaging, and match container labels to the packing list and assay report.
Grain condition: check for foreign particles, excessive fines, damp packing and mixed grain sizes before placing material in workshop stock.
Casting trial: cast a retained sample using your intended process and compare filling, porosity, surface finish and colour with the approved sample. Record results through your quality inspection process.
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What goes wrong
An order described only as silver grain leaves room for disagreement about fine silver versus ready-alloyed material. A substituted alloy, mixed batches or contamination can change casting behaviour even when the grain looks similar. Keep batches separate until the assay and casting trial agree with the order.
A certificate without a matching batch identity cannot establish which material was tested. Net-weight discrepancies can also be hidden by packaging weight. Reconcile the received weight and batch records before releasing the material to production.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For own-brand ranges, see sourcing for brands.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on silver casting grain from China?
The supplied UK Trade Tariff reading gives 0% duty for unwrought silver under 7106 91 00 00, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measure listed.
Does silver casting grain need a UK hallmark?
Raw material is exempt from compulsory hallmarking. Finished jewellery has separate hallmarking requirements, subject to exemptions; a batch assay does not replace a finished article's hallmark.
Should I buy fine silver or ready-alloyed casting grain?
Choose according to your workshop process. Specify whether alloying metal will be added locally or whether the grain must arrive with the complete casting alloy already mixed.
How do I check a silver grain supplier's assay report?
Match the report to the production batch, sample the received material for independent assay, and retain a sample. Check casting behaviour before releasing the batch.