Sourcing tantalum-niobium concentrate from China
UK duty on tantalum-niobium ore concentrates from China is 0% under 2617 90 00 00. Establish whether the material is mined concentrate or waste before shipping, as waste shipment controls depend on its status. Agree separate tantalum and niobium assays on a dry basis. Cambridge China Bridge sources tantalum-niobium ore concentrates.
Duty and controls on coltan concentrates
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 2617 covers other ores and concentrates. For tantalum-niobium ore concentrates, check the other-ores line, 2617 90 00 00. The table gives commercial descriptions sharing that code, rather than separate tariff subdivisions. See the wider ores guide.
The supplied record shows 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions. It attaches an import waste control, plus export waste and mercury controls. Ask your customs broker to confirm their application to the material and intended movement.
Waste shipment controls apply only where the material is waste. For notified waste from China into England, confirm with the relevant waste shipment authority who must start the application and where; dispatch, destination and transit authorities must consent before shipment. Establish mineral identity, processing history and waste status before confirming the commodity code.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tantalum-rich coltan concentrate | 2617 90 00 00 | 0% | None |
Specify payable tantalum and niobium separately
Specify columbite-tantalite concentrate, the receiving processor and the intended extraction process. Agree separate tantalum and niobium assays, whether results report metal or oxide content, and settlement on a dry basis. Set moisture, particle size and impurity limits with the processor, including iron, manganese, tin, tungsten, arsenic, lead and mercury where relevant.
Agree representative lot sampling, sealed retained samples, the independent laboratory and the method for resolving assay disputes. Request mine origin, processing locations and records linking each lot through the supplier chain. Northern Ireland buyers should check whether statutory conflict-mineral due diligence requirements apply to their tantalum imports.
Obtain the processing history and ask HSE to confirm the UK REACH position, including whether a natural concentrate that has not been chemically modified qualifies for a registration exemption. Use factory verification to check the supplier's processing and lot-control arrangements.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of bagged tantalum-niobium ore concentrate for a specialist processor under 2617 90 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 bag marks, lot references, origin records and processing history to the order and assay certificates.
Assay: independently sample across the lot and compare separate tantalum and niobium results, reporting basis and impurities with the agreed specification.
Moisture: check delivered moisture, net weight, particle size, wet pockets and caking before accepting the settlement weight.
Packing: check bag seams, liners, seals, leakage and container dryness. Plan representative checks using the quality inspection guide.
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What goes wrong
A supplier's selected sample can overstate payable content. Combined tantalum-niobium figures can hide a shortfall in the metal the processor wants, while confusion between metal and oxide reporting causes settlement disputes. Uneven blending and excess moisture can also distort the apparent grade. Agree the assay basis and sampling procedure before payment.
A Chinese dispatch address does not establish the mine origin. Missing links between mine, processor and shipment make provenance difficult to verify. Recovered residues sold as concentrate also create unresolved waste-status questions. Establish status before booking transport, and ask your broker to confirm the applicable waste procedure for the route.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on coltan from China?
The supplied tariff record shows 0% under 2617 90 00 00, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions.
Does coltan concentrate need waste shipment consent?
Waste controls apply if the material is waste. For notified waste into England, confirm with the relevant waste shipment authority who must start the application and where; the authorities involved must consent before shipment. Confirm status and procedure with your broker.
What should a coltan assay report show?
Separate tantalum and niobium results, whether expressed as metal or oxide, dry-basis content, moisture and agreed impurities. The report should identify the lot and sampling method.
How do I check the origin of coltan bought in China?
Request mine origin, processing locations and transaction records linking the shipment to its source. Match these to lot references and independently check gaps before accepting a provenance claim.