Sourcing silver ore concentrate from China

Duty on silver ore concentrate

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 2616 covers precious-metal ores and concentrates. Its silver line is 2616 10 00 00. The table shows supply forms within that same commodity line. For the wider heading, see our precious-metal ores guide.

The supplied record shows 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions listed. It attaches import waste controls and export waste controls. Waste shipment controls apply where the material is waste. Confirm the applicable import procedure with your customs broker; also confirm export requirements before arranging any return shipment.

Give your broker the mineral description, assay, processing history and evidence of waste status before confirming the commodity code. For waste from China imported into England under notification controls, the exporter must apply to the competent authority in the dispatch country for consent. Confirm with the relevant competent authorities which destination and transit consents are needed and when shipment may proceed.

Specify dry-basis silver content and settlement

Specify silver content on a dry basis, moisture, particle size and the receiving processor's limits for arsenic, mercury, lead and other unwanted constituents. Record any gold or base metals included in settlement, payable content, treatment deductions and the assay dispute procedure. Ask the processor to approve the proposed concentrate before ordering.

Agree representative sampling across the lot, sealed retained samples and an independent laboratory for disputed results. Specify bag construction, liners and lot identification. Obtain the producer's processing history and ask your adviser to confirm the UK REACH position. HSE says a business importing a substance it has not previously imported needs to consider whether registration is required.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative bagged lot of silver ore concentrate for a specialist processor under 2616 10 00 00, invoiced at £40,000 free on board, with £6,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £46,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £46,000, so it is £9,200. 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 the mineral description, processing history and lot marks to the order and assay report.

Assay: independently sample the delivered lot and compare dry-basis silver content and impurities with the agreed specification.

Moisture: compare measured moisture and particle size with the order; record wet patches, caking and uneven material.

Packing: inspect seams, liners, leakage and container dryness. Keep arrival samples traceable to their lots. Plan checks with our quality inspection guide.

What goes wrong

A selected supplier sample can overstate the shipment's silver content. Uneven blending can hide impurity pockets, while moisture increases delivered weight without increasing payable silver. Agree dry-basis settlement and representative sampling before payment.

Recovered residue described as concentrate can leave waste status unresolved. Establish its status before booking transport. For notified waste imported into England, confirm with the Environment Agency which carrier, broker or dealer registrations or permissions apply to the importer and which permits or exemptions the recovery facility needs for the proposed treatment.

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.