Sourcing tungsten ores from China

Duty and waste controls

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 18 November 2026, heading 2611 covers tungsten ores and concentrates. Its sole commodity line, 2611 00 00 00, carries 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension.

The tariff attaches import and export waste controls. Environment Agency guidance for England says waste shipment controls apply only to material that is waste; notified waste cannot move until the relevant authorities have consented. For a shipment from China, ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable waste classification and requirements before shipping. Confirm the export control separately if subsequently exporting waste.

Describe the mineral, processing history and intended use when checking the commodity code. Ask HSE or your customs broker to confirm whether natural minerals, ores and ore concentrates that are not chemically modified qualify for a UK REACH registration exemption. Do not assume an exemption covers chemically processed material.

Specify tungsten content and settlement basis

State whether you want ore or concentrate, the mineral type, intended processing route and tungsten content reported as tungsten or tungsten oxide. Agree the assay basis, moisture deduction, particle size, impurity limits and packing. Ask the receiving processor which impurities affect acceptance.

Agree how representative samples will be taken, sealed and split between the supplier, buyer and independent laboratory. Define how conflicting assays will be resolved and whether settlement uses dry mass. Keep the producer's process description and lot records with the specification.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 100 tonnes of low-grade tungsten ore in bulk bags under 2611 00 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

Assay: independently test representative lot samples for tungsten content and the impurities agreed with the receiving processor.

Moisture: measure moisture on arrival and compare dry mass with the agreed settlement basis.

Consistency: check particle size, visible contamination and differences between bags or parts of the shipment.

Traceability: match bag labels, seals, weights and assay certificates to the contracted lot; use the inspection guide to plan checks.

What goes wrong

A supplier's selected sample can overstate the grade of the shipment. Wet material can also inflate invoiced mass when the buyer expects settlement on a dry basis. Agree representative sampling and moisture deductions before placing the order.

Ore, concentrate and recovered residues can be described loosely in quotations. Ask for the production history and resolve any uncertain waste status before booking transport. Use factory verification to check the producer's processing and lot records.

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.