Sourcing tin-selenium ingots from China

Duty on tin-selenium master alloy ingots

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 7 October 2026, heading 8001 covers unwrought tin. The tin-alloy line, 8001 20 00 00, carries 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control for this line.

Confirm the full composition and unwrought form through our commodity code guide. The table contains the only supplied commodity line relevant to these alloy ingots. For wider heading context, see our tin-copper master alloy ingots guide.

Tariff treatment does not establish chemical compliance. UK REACH registration applies to substances in mixtures, so assess the constituents before ordering. Substances and mixtures placed on the Great Britain market must be classified and labelled under its chemical classification, labelling and packaging rules. A safety data sheet is required when a hazardous chemical is supplied for workplace use.

Specify selenium content and melt traceability

Specify the target selenium content and agreed tolerance by mass, tin balance, and individual impurity limits, including lead. Ask the factory to identify every intentional addition rather than accepting a description that only says tin alloy. State ingot weight, dimensions and the intended melting process.

Agree a sampling method and laboratory method suitable for measuring selenium in the tin matrix. Request a certificate of analysis for each melt, with results rather than a pass statement. Link melt references to ingot or bundle marks, and retain a reference sample for comparison with repeat orders.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 3 tonnes of tin-selenium 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 selenium, tin and impurity results with the agreed specification and the matching melt certificate.

Consistency: sample across the consignment and compare results between ingots, rather than relying on a surface reading from a selected piece.

Condition: check for excessive oxide, visible inclusions, cracks and contamination; compare ingot dimensions and net weight with the order.

Traceability: match bundle marks, melt references and certificates; check pallet stability and the alloy identity on the safety documentation.

What goes wrong

Failure points include selenium outside the agreed range, composition varying between ingots, undeclared additions and certificates that cannot be matched to the delivered melt. A clean surface does not establish bulk composition. Agree representative sampling before production and keep suspect melts separate pending investigation.

A generic tin safety document may describe a different composition from the supplied tin-selenium alloy. Compare the document with the batch analysis before accepting it. Use our quality inspection guide to agree checks before dispatch and on arrival.

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.