Sourcing tin-copper master alloy ingots from China

UK duty on tin-copper master alloy ingots

Heading 8001 covers unwrought tin, including tin alloys. This guide concerns tin-copper master alloy ingots confirmed as tin alloys under 8001 20 00 00. All table entries use that same commodity line. Supply the broker with the actual composition, ingot form and intended use rather than relying on the supplier's product name.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 7 October 2026, the supplied snapshot records 0% duty for tin alloys from China. It lists no anti-dumping or countervailing measures, suspensions or attached import controls for this line.

Confirm the classification before ordering using finding your commodity code. For wider heading coverage, see the tin-antimony master alloy ingots guide.

Specify copper content and melt traceability

State the intended blending or remelting process, target tin and copper contents, permitted variation and impurity limits. Identify unwanted metals individually, particularly lead where the alloy feeds solder production. Agree ingot dimensions, individual weight, acceptable surface condition and a certificate of analysis linked to each melt batch.

Before importing into Great Britain, check UK REACH registration responsibilities for the constituent substances. Registration applies to substances in mixtures and is assessed per substance and per legal entity. Give your adviser the composition, annual import volumes and intended uses.

Ask how the factory samples each melt and verifies copper content. Agree representative laboratory sampling and retain labelled samples for comparison with arriving stock. Use factory verification to check the producer's melting, sampling and batch-record arrangements.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 3 tonnes of tin-copper master alloy ingots under 8001 20 00 00, invoiced at £108,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £109,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £109,500, so it is £21,900. 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 independent laboratory results with the agreed tin, copper and impurity specification and the certificate for the corresponding melt.

Traceability: match ingot and bundle markings to melt references, certificates and the packing list; investigate mixed or missing batch identities.

Condition: check for excessive surface oxide, adhering slag, foreign material, cracks and damaged ingots against the agreed acceptance criteria.

Packing: verify net weight, bundle security and pallet condition, and check for wet packaging or contamination on arrival. Agree the inspection scope through quality inspection explained.

What goes wrong

A certificate can describe a different melt from the delivered ingots. Copper content may miss the agreed target, unwanted metals may exceed the purchase specification, or mixed batches may arrive under a shared label. Surface appearance cannot establish composition.

Require batch-linked results before dispatch and keep arriving batches separate until their identity and composition are checked. Agree how out-of-specification material will be investigated, replaced or credited before paying the balance.

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.