Sourcing tin-silver alloy ingots from China

UK duty on tin-silver alloy ingots

Heading 8001 covers unwrought tin. Tin-silver alloy ingots fall within the tin-alloy line, 8001 20 00 00, subject to confirming their composition and unwrought form. Only this line in the supplied tariff facts is relevant to this product family.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 7 October 2026, the tin-alloy line carried 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control. These tariff facts do not replace checks on chemical registration or the intended use.

Give your customs broker the full composition, manufacturing description and photographs, then confirm the commodity code. For the wider heading and another alloy family, see the tin-antimony master alloy ingots guide.

Specify the silver content and soldering use

Specify tin and silver content, permitted variation, impurity limits and whether copper or other metals are intentionally included. Distinguish tin-silver from tin-silver-copper rather than accepting a generic lead-free solder description. For soft solder, state the agreed ISO 9453 designation. Agree ingot weight, dimensions, batch identification and a certificate of analysis for each melt.

For constituent substances you have not previously imported, consider whether UK REACH registration is required. Registration is per substance and per legal entity. Establish your position before ordering rather than relying on a general supplier assurance.

For solder used in electrical products, confirm applicable lead restrictions and any exemptions with the relevant authority. Ask for batch composition evidence against the intended application. The manufacturer must determine whether the finished electrical product complies with the hazardous-substance rules, even when the material supplier claims compliance.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 3 tonnes of tin-silver 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: match each melt certificate to the ingot labels and obtain independent laboratory analysis for tin, silver and specified impurities.

Identity: check that the supplied alloy matches the purchase specification, including whether copper is present intentionally.

Condition: inspect for excessive surface oxide, embedded foreign material, contamination and damaged ingots; compare weight and dimensions with the order.

Packing: check batch separation, readable labels, dry wrapping and secure pallets. Agree sampling and acceptance checks through the quality inspection guide.

What goes wrong

Silver content can fall below the agreed specification, lead contamination can undermine the intended soldering use, and mixed batches can lose their traceability. A certificate for a different melt does not establish the composition of the delivered ingots.

Compare the delivery with the approved sample and batch analysis before releasing it into production. For solder feedstock, agree a trial melt and wetting check in the buyer's process. Keep questionable batches separate while investigating the discrepancy.

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.