Subheading · Chapter 25 · Heading 2528
2528.00: Natural borates and concentrates thereof (whether or not calcined), but not including borates separated from natural brine; natural boric acid containing not more than 85 % of H3BO3 calculated on the dry weight
2528.00 is a six-digit subheading of heading 2528, natural borates and concentrates thereof, chapter 25.
What you pay
Importing into UK
Rates by national line · UK Global Tariff
UK lines →- 2528 00 00 00 Natural borates and concentrates thereof (whether or not calcined), but not including borates separated from natural brine; natural boric acid containing not more than 85% of h3bo3 calculated on the dry weight
Additional duties and import rules
Charges on top of the customs duty, and rules the goods must meet at the border.
Import requirements 3
- Prohibition or restrictionImport prohibition
- Applies to goods from
- North Korea
- Legal act
- S.I. 2019/411
- Import controlRestriction on entry into free circulation
- Applies to goods from
- Ukraine
- Legal act
- S.I. 2022/395
- Documents
- 9009
- 9010
- 9017
- Import controlImport control - Waste
- Applies to goods from
- all countries
- Legal act
- S.I. 2019/590
- Documents
- C672 Information document accompanying shipments of waste as mentioned in Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 – Article 18 and Annex VII
- C669 Notification document as mentioned in Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 - Article 5 and Annex IA
- Y923 Product not subjected to the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2024/1157
- C670 Movement document as mentioned in Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 – Article 5 and Annex IB
Preferential rates by country
| Agreement or scheme | Countries | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| standard rate (no agreement) | — | |
| DCTS Comprehensive | Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin and 38 moreAfghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo - Kinshasa, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé & Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia | Free |
| European Union (including code "EU") | Free | |
| CARIFORUM | Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize and 10 moreAntigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago | Free |
| OCTs (Overseas Countries and Territories) | Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands and 7 moreAnguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands, St Helena, Turks & Caicos Islands | Free |
| Central America | Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama | Free |
| SADC EPA | Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia | Free |
| Eastern and Southern Africa States | Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Zimbabwe | Free |
| CPTPP | Brunei, Malaysia | Free |
| UK–Andorra agreement | Andorra | Free |
| UK–Albania agreement | Albania | Free |
| UK–Australia agreement | Australia | Free |
| UK–Canada agreement | Canada | Free |
| UK–Switzerland agreement | Switzerland | Free |
| UK–Côte d’Ivoire agreement | Côte d’Ivoire | Free |
| UK–Chile agreement | Chile | Free |
| UK–Cameroon agreement | Cameroon | Free |
| UK–Colombia agreement | Colombia | Free |
| UK–Ceuta & Melilla agreement | Ceuta & Melilla | Free |
| UK–Ecuador agreement | Ecuador | Free |
| UK–Egypt agreement | Egypt | Free |
| UK–Fiji agreement | Fiji | Free |
| UK–Faroe Islands agreement | Faroe Islands | Free |
| UK–Georgia agreement | Georgia | Free |
| UK–Ghana agreement | Ghana | Free |
| UK–Israel agreement | Israel | Free |
| UK–India agreement | India | Free |
| UK–Iceland agreement | Iceland | Free |
| UK–Jordan agreement | Jordan | Free |
| UK–Japan agreement | Japan | Free |
| UK–Kenya agreement | Kenya | Free |
| UK–South Korea agreement | South Korea | Free |
| UK–Lebanon agreement | Lebanon | Free |
| UK–Liechtenstein agreement | Liechtenstein | Free |
| UK–Morocco agreement | Morocco | Free |
| UK–Moldova agreement | Moldova | Free |
| UK–North Macedonia agreement | North Macedonia | Free |
| UK–Mexico agreement | Mexico | Free |
| UK–Norway agreement | Norway | Free |
| UK–New Zealand agreement | New Zealand | Free |
| UK–Peru agreement | Peru | Free |
| UK–Papua New Guinea agreement | Papua New Guinea | Free |
| UK–Palestinian Territories agreement | Palestinian Territories | Free |
| UK–Serbia agreement | Serbia | Free |
| UK–Solomon Islands agreement | Solomon Islands | Free |
| UK–Singapore agreement | Singapore | Free |
| UK–San Marino agreement | San Marino | Free |
| UK–Tunisia agreement | Tunisia | Free |
| UK–Türkiye agreement | Türkiye | Free |
| UK–Ukraine agreement | Ukraine | Free |
| UK–Vietnam agreement | Vietnam | Free |
| UK–Samoa agreement | Samoa | Free |
| UK–Kosovo agreement | Kosovo | Free |
| UK–South Africa agreement | South Africa | Free |
UK: imports by month
Main suppliers, last 12 months
| Country | Value | Share | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
 Türkiye | £587k | 85.7% | -65.9% |
 Mexico | £68k | 9.9% | — |
 Brazil | £17k | 2.5% | — |
 Peru | £12k | 1.7% | -77.7% |
 United States | £1k | 0.2% | — |
 Austria | £0 | 0% | -100% |
 Bolivia | £0 | 0% | -100% |
 Spain | £0 | 0% | -100% |
Same subheading in other tariffs
EU Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line Türkiye Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line USA Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Canada Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line Mexico Free – 7% General (MFN) 2 tariff lines · average 3.5% Brazil 3.6% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Argentina 3.6% General (MFN) 6 tariff lines Peru Free General (MFN) 2 tariff lines 
New Zealand Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Japan Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Taiwan Free General (MFN) 2 tariff lines 
GCC 5% General (MFN) 3 tariff lines 
Switzerland Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Norway Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
North Macedonia Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Nigeria 5% General (MFN) 1 tariff line World trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$182kUS$182k+US$944k+US$7m+> US$103m
Exports: 60
- Türkiye: US$258m
- Bolivia: US$103m
- Argentina: US$36m
- Austria: US$14m
- Chile: US$13m
- Luxembourg: US$7m
- Peru: US$5m
- Spain: US$3m
- United States: US$3m
- Netherlands: US$3m
- China: US$2m
- Finland: US$2m
- Malaysia: US$2m
- Russia: US$1m
- India: US$944k
- United Kingdom: US$759k
- Kazakhstan: US$746k
- Poland: US$592k
- Thailand: US$375k
- Belgium: US$354k
- Guatemala: US$321k
- South Africa: US$310k
- Sweden: US$282k
- Italy: US$256k
- Canada: US$245k
- France: US$229k
- Germany: US$225k
- United Arab Emirates: US$211k
- Mozambique: US$182k
- Brazil: US$165k
- Indonesia: US$159k
- Panama: US$156k
- Kyrgyzstan: US$84k
- Latvia: US$80k
- Costa Rica: US$76k
- Slovakia: US$64k
- Tunisia: US$61k
- Norway: US$56k
- Lithuania: US$40k
- Honduras: US$31k
- Czechia: US$27k
- Portugal: US$27k
- South Korea: US$24k
- Japan: US$22k
- Denmark: US$21k
- Mauritius: US$21k
- Saudi Arabia: US$17k
- Taiwan: US$15k
- Tanzania: US$6k
- Vietnam: US$3k
- Kenya: US$3k
- Colombia: US$1k
- Greece: US$400
- Australia: US$300
- Singapore: US$300
- Sri Lanka: US$100
- Serbia: US$100
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$0
- Laos: US$0
- Montenegro: US$0
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$127kUS$127k+US$2m+US$7m+> US$27m
Imports: 124
- China: US$110m
- Brazil: US$98m
- India: US$48m
- United States: US$27m
- Czechia: US$14m
- Peru: US$13m
- Austria: US$11m
- Slovakia: US$9m
- Taiwan: US$9m
- Belgium: US$9m
- Indonesia: US$8m
- Malaysia: US$8m
- Russia: US$7m
- Netherlands: US$7m
- Japan: US$6m
- Spain: US$6m
- Mexico: US$5m
- Colombia: US$5m
- South Korea: US$5m
- Egypt: US$4m
- Chile: US$4m
- France: US$4m
- Sweden: US$3m
- Vietnam: US$3m
- Panama: US$3m
- Canada: US$3m
- Latvia: US$2m
- Greece: US$2m
- Kazakhstan: US$2m
- United Kingdom: US$2m
- Germany: US$2m
- Paraguay: US$2m
- South Africa: US$2m
- Italy: US$2m
- New Zealand: US$1m
- Thailand: US$1m
- Poland: US$1m
- Finland: US$1m
- Australia: US$832k
- Ecuador: US$823k
- Nicaragua: US$697k
- Argentina: US$650k
- Norway: US$607k
- Algeria: US$571k
- Costa Rica: US$526k
- Papua New Guinea: US$516k
- Saudi Arabia: US$459k
- Malawi: US$454k
- Honduras: US$420k
- Laos: US$413k
- Georgia: US$351k
- United Arab Emirates: US$314k
- Mozambique: US$309k
- Zimbabwe: US$281k
- Oman: US$277k
- Denmark: US$216k
- Mauritius: US$182k
- Uganda: US$156k
- Belarus: US$151k
- Tunisia: US$138k
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Türkiye | US$258m | 56.4% |
| 2 | Bolivia | US$103m | 22.5% |
| 3 | Argentina | US$36m | 7.8% |
| 4 | Austria | US$14m | 3% |
| 5 |  Chile | US$13m | 2.8% |
| 6 |  Luxembourg | US$7m | 1.5% |
| 7 | Peru | US$5m | 1% |
| 8 | Spain | US$3m | 0.7% |
| 9 | United States | US$3m | 0.7% |
| 10 |  Netherlands | US$3m | 0.6% |
Import duty on this product around the world 160
The most-favoured-nation (MFN) duty each country applies to goods of this HS subheading: the average over its national tariff lines, with the lowest and highest line where they differ. Goods from countries with a trade agreement often pay less.
- 5%median duty
- 49number of duty-free countries (MFN)
- 45%highest: Bahamas, Bermuda, Comoros
160
| Importing country | MFN duty | lines from – to | data year |
|---|---|---|---|
 Afghanistan | 5% | 2018 · HS 2012 | |
 Albania | 2% | 2023 | |
 Algeria | 5% | 2023 | |
 Angola | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Anguilla | 10% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
| Argentina | 4% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Armenia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Aruba | 6% | 2021 · HS 2012 | |
 Australia | 0% | 2023 | |
 Azerbaijan | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Bahamas | 45% | 2022 | |
 Bahrain | 5% | 2023 | |
 Bangladesh | 10% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Barbados | 5% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
 Belarus | 5% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Belize | 5% | 2023 | |
 Benin | 5% | 2023 | |
 Bermuda | 25% | 2023 | |
 Bhutan | 10% | 2022 | |
| Bolivia | 10% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Bosnia & Herzegovina | 0% | 2022 | |
 Botswana | 0% | 2023 | |
| Brazil | 4% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Brunei | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Burkina Faso | 5% | 2023 | |
 Burundi | 10% | 2023 | |
 Cambodia | 15% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Cameroon | 10% | 2023 | |
| Canada | 0% | 2023 | |
 Cape Verde | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Central African Republic | 10% | 2023 | |
 Chad | 10% | 2023 | |
| Chile | 6% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 China | 4% | 3% – 5% | 2023 |
 Colombia | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Comoros | 20% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Congo - Brazzaville | 10% | 2023 | |
 Cook Islands | 0% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
 Costa Rica | 0% | 2023 | |
 Côte d’Ivoire | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Cuba | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Dominica | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Dominican Republic | 0% | 2023 | |
 Ecuador | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Egypt | 2% | 2019 · HS 2017 | |
 El Salvador | 0% | 2022 | |
 Equatorial Guinea | 10% | 2023 | |
 Eswatini | 0% | 2023 | |
 Ethiopia | 10% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
| European Union (27 countries) | 0% | 2023 | |
 Fiji | 5% | 2023 | |
 French Polynesia | 10% | 2023 | |
 Gabon | 10% | 2023 | |
 Gambia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Georgia | 12% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
 Ghana | 5% | 2023 | |
 Gibraltar | 12% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Grenada | 5% | 2023 · HS 2012 | |
 Guatemala | 5% | 0% – 10% | 2023 |
 Guinea | 5% | 2023 | |
 Guinea-Bissau | 5% | 2023 | |
 Guyana | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Haiti | 5% | 2020 · HS 2017 | |
 Honduras | 0% | 2023 | |
 Hong Kong SAR China | 0% | 2023 | |
 Iceland | 0% | 2023 | |
 India | 2.5% | 2023 | |
 Indonesia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Iran | 5% | 2020 · HS 2017 | |
 Israel | 0% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
 Jamaica | 0% | 2023 | |
| Japan | 0% | 2023 | |
 Jordan | 2.5% | 0% – 5% | 2023 |
 Kazakhstan | 5% | 2023 | |
 Kenya | 10% | 2023 | |
 Kuwait | 5% | 2023 | |
 Kyrgyzstan | 5% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Laos | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Lebanon | 0% | 2020 · HS 2017 | |
 Lesotho | 0% | 2023 | |
 Liberia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Libya | 5% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Liechtenstein | 1.2%* | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Macao SAR China | 0% | 2023 | |
 Madagascar | 10% | 2023 | |
 Malawi | 10% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Malaysia | 0% | 2023 | |
 Maldives | 0% | 2023 | |
 Mali | 5% | 2023 | |
 Mauritania | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Mauritius | 0% | 2023 | |
| Mexico | 3.5% | 0% – 7% | 2023 · HS 2017 |
 Micronesia | 4% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Moldova | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Mongolia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Montserrat | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Morocco | 2.5% | 2023 | |
 Mozambique | 2.5% | 2023 | |
 Myanmar (Burma) | 3% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Namibia | 0% | 2023 | |
 Nepal | 10% | 2023 | |
| New Zealand | 0% | 2023 | |
 Nicaragua | 0% | 2023 | |
 Niger | 5% | 2023 | |
| Nigeria | 5% | 2023 | |
| North Macedonia | 0% | 2023 | |
| Norway | 0% | 2023 | |
 Oman | 5% | 2023 | |
 Pakistan | 0% | 2023 | |
 Palau | 3% | 2023 · HS 2012 | |
 Palestinian Territories | 0% | 2017 · HS 2017 | |
 Panama | 0% | 2023 | |
 Papua New Guinea | 0% | 2023 | |
 Paraguay | 4% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| Peru | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Philippines | 1% | 2023 | |
 Qatar | 5% | 2023 | |
 Russia | 5% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Rwanda | 10% | 2023 | |
 Samoa | 8% | 2020 · HS 2017 | |
 São Tomé & Príncipe | 5% | 2019 · HS 2017 | |
 Saudi Arabia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Senegal | 5% | 2023 | |
 Seychelles | 0% | 2023 | |
 Sierra Leone | 5% | 2023 | |
 Singapore | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Solomon Islands | 10% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Somalia | 15% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 South Africa | 0% | 2023 | |
 South Korea | 3% | 2023 | |
 Sri Lanka | 0% | 2023 | |
 St Kitts & Nevis | 0% | 2023 | |
 St Lucia | 5% | 2023 · HS 2012 | |
 St Pierre & Miquelon | 5% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 St Vincent & the Grenadines | 5% | 2023 | |
 Sudan | 10% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
| Switzerland | 1%* | 2023 | |
 Syria | 1% | 2020 · HS 2012 | |
 Tajikistan | 5% | 2021 · HS 2012 | |
 Tanzania | 10% | 2023 | |
 Thailand | 0% | 2023 | |
 Togo | 5% | 2023 | |
 Tonga | 15% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Trinidad & Tobago | 0% | 2023 · HS 2012 | |
| Türkiye | 0% | 2023 | |
 Tuvalu | 0% | 2017 · HS 2017 | |
 Uganda | 10% | 2023 | |
 Ukraine | 2% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 United Arab Emirates | 5% | 2023 | |
| United Kingdom | 0% | 2023 | |
| United States | 0% | 2023 | |
 Uruguay | 4% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Uzbekistan | 0% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Vanuatu | 5% | 2023 | |
 Venezuela | 4% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Vietnam | 3% | 2023 | |
 Wallis & Futuna | 0% | 2021 · HS 2012 | |
 Yemen | 10% | 2017 · HS 2017 | |
 Zambia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Zimbabwe | 0.1% | 2023 |
Tariff data years 2017–2023; rates may have changed since. * ad valorem equivalent of specific duties (UNCTAD estimate) · UNCTAD TRAINS, accessed via WITS (World Bank)
Classifications and correspondences
Where this HS subheading sits in the United Nations' statistical classifications, and which codes it had in earlier editions of the Harmonized System.
- SITC Rev. 4
- 27894 Natural borates & concentrates thereof, whether/not calcined, but not including borates separated from natural brine; natural boric acid containing not > 85% of H3BO3 calculated on the dry weight
- End use (BEC Rev. 5)
- Intermediate goods · BEC 3111
- CPC 2.1 product
- 16190 Other chemical minerals
- ISIC Rev. 4 activity
- 0891 Mining of chemical and fertilizer minerals
Earlier HS editions
| HS | Code | |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 2528.00 | unchanged |
| 2012 | 2528.00 | unchanged |
| 2007 | 2528.10, 2528.90 | changed |
| 2002 | 2528.10, 2528.90 | changed |
| 1996 | 2528.10, 2528.90 | changed |
| 1992 | 2528.10, 2528.90 | changed |
Correspondence tables of the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD)
Recent rule changes mentioning this code
Acts whose text cites this code or its heading. Check the act itself: a code can be cited for reasons other than a change of its duty.
- Tariff change · Applies from:
CELEX 32026R2163 · Source: eur-lex.europa.eu
The EU Combined Nomenclature has one tariff line for subheading 2528.00; the duty is duty-free.
Subheading 2528.00 is a single line in the Turkish Customs Tariff Schedule, where the duty is duty-free.
In the 12 months to August 2026, the UK imported these goods worth £684.7k (down 63% on the year before), at an average of £0.38 per kg; Türkiye supplied 86%, followed by Mexico.
World trade in these goods reached US$457m in 2024, up 15.7% on 2023.
Türkiye was the largest exporter with 56.4% of the total, ahead of Bolivia.
Questions and answers
What is the HS code for natural borates and concentrates thereof (whether or not calcined), but not including borates separated from natural brine; natural boric acid containing not more than 85 % of H3BO3 calculated on the dry weight?
Natural borates and concentrates thereof (whether or not calcined), but not including borates separated from natural brine; natural boric acid containing not more than 85 % of H3BO3 calculated on the dry weight fall under HS subheading 2528.00, part of heading 2528, in section V of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on natural borates and concentrates thereof in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 2528.00 from countries without a preferential agreement are free of duty. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
What is the import duty on natural borates and concentrates thereof in Türkiye?
Under the Turkish Customs Tariff Schedule, imports under 2528.00 from countries without a preferential agreement are free of duty. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Which country exports the most natural borates and concentrates thereof?
Türkiye, with US$258m in 2024 (56.4% of world exports).
Where does the UK import these goods from?
In the 12 months to August 2026, the largest suppliers were Türkiye (86%), Mexico (10%) and Brazil (3%), out of total imports of £684.7k.