Subheading · Chapter 26 · Heading 2604
2604.00: Nickel ores and concentrates
2604.00 is the HS subheading for nickel ores and concentrates, under heading 2604 in chapter 26.
What you pay
Importing into UK
Rates by national line · UK Global Tariff
UK lines →- 2604 00 00 00 Nickel ores and concentrates
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
 Spain | £24k | 58.8% | — |
 Belgium | £16k | 38.4% | — |
 France | £984 | 2.4% | — |
 Netherlands | £157 | 0.4% | +53.9% |
 Indonesia | £0 | 0% | -100% |
 United States | £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) 3 tariff lines 
Mexico Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Brazil Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Argentina Free General (MFN) 2 tariff lines 
Peru Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
New Zealand Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Japan Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Taiwan Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
GCC 5% General (MFN) 8 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$1mUS$1m+US$39m+US$240m+> US$723m
Exports: 58
- Philippines: US$2bn
- Zambia: US$723m
- Finland: US$409m
- New Caledonia: US$343m
- Russia: US$321m
- Australia: US$240m
- Brazil: US$231m
- Canada: US$160m
- United States: US$127m
- Vietnam: US$66m
- Côte d’Ivoire: US$63m
- South Africa: US$56m
- Taiwan: US$55m
- Solomon Islands: US$39m
- Malaysia: US$27m
- Switzerland: US$27m
- Belgium: US$25m
- Netherlands: US$15m
- Tanzania: US$14m
- Guatemala: US$14m
- China: US$11m
- Zimbabwe: US$2m
- Congo - Kinshasa: US$2m
- Germany: US$2m
- Norway: US$2m
- Botswana: US$1m
- France: US$1m
- Indonesia: US$830k
- Slovakia: US$732k
- Singapore: US$588k
- India: US$556k
- Italy: US$512k
- Thailand: US$506k
- South Korea: US$320k
- Hungary: US$291k
- Japan: US$196k
- Poland: US$158k
- Saudi Arabia: US$106k
- Türkiye: US$61k
- Kazakhstan: US$54k
- Spain: US$53k
- United Kingdom: US$41k
- Mexico: US$35k
- Ireland: US$26k
- Austria: US$4k
- Papua New Guinea: US$3k
- Denmark: US$2k
- Ukraine: US$600
- Serbia: US$400
- Guinea: US$200
- Nicaragua: US$200
- Chile: US$100
- Israel: US$100
- Panama: US$100
- Albania: US$0
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$0
- Lithuania: US$0
- Pakistan: US$0
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$166kUS$166k+US$3m+US$69m+> US$616m
Imports: 66
- China: US$3bn
- Canada: US$616m
- Indonesia: US$452m
- Finland: US$296m
- South Korea: US$212m
- Belgium: US$75m
- Switzerland: US$69m
- Taiwan: US$54m
- Japan: US$39m
- Malaysia: US$31m
- Germany: US$8m
- Thailand: US$6m
- Morocco: US$6m
- Spain: US$5m
- Singapore: US$4m
- Australia: US$3m
- Netherlands: US$3m
- Brazil: US$3m
- Panama: US$3m
- Colombia: US$2m
- Albania: US$2m
- South Africa: US$2m
- Philippines: US$2m
- Norway: US$714k
- Vietnam: US$664k
- Cambodia: US$569k
- United States: US$451k
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$403k
- United Kingdom: US$335k
- Greece: US$334k
- India: US$173k
- France: US$166k
- Saudi Arabia: US$117k
- Jordan: US$106k
- Mexico: US$72k
- Romania: US$62k
- Peru: US$54k
- Portugal: US$54k
- Austria: US$38k
- Curaçao: US$25k
- Luxembourg: US$5k
- Azerbaijan: US$3k
- Eswatini: US$3k
- Congo - Kinshasa: US$3k
- Italy: US$3k
- Denmark: US$3k
- Ireland: US$2k
- Serbia: US$2k
- Kazakhstan: US$1k
- Sweden: US$1k
- Türkiye: US$700
- Costa Rica: US$600
- Hungary: US$500
- Côte d’Ivoire: US$400
- Bahamas: US$300
- Bolivia: US$200
- Chile: US$200
- Czechia: US$200
- Guatemala: US$200
- Malta: US$200
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Philippines | US$2bn | 36.3% |
| 2 |  Zambia | US$723m | 14.4% |
| 3 |  Finland | US$409m | 8.2% |
| 4 |  New Caledonia | US$343m | 6.8% |
| 5 |  Russia | US$321m | 6.4% |
| 6 |  Australia | US$240m | 4.8% |
| 7 | Brazil | US$231m | 4.6% |
| 8 | Canada | US$160m | 3.2% |
| 9 | United States | US$127m | 2.5% |
| 10 |  Vietnam | US$66m | 1.3% |
Top importers
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  China | US$3bn | 57.4% |
| 2 | Canada | US$616m | 12.3% |
| 3 | Indonesia | US$452m | 9% |
| 4 | Finland | US$296m | 5.9% |
| 5 |  South Korea | US$212m | 4.2% |
| 6 | Belgium | US$75m | 1.5% |
| 7 | Switzerland | US$69m | 1.4% |
| 8 | Taiwan | US$54m | 1.1% |
| 9 | Japan | US$39m | 0.8% |
| 10 |  Malaysia | US$31m | 0.6% |
Import duty on this product around the world 165
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.
- 3%median duty
- 68number of duty-free countries (MFN)
- 45%highest: Bahamas, Bermuda, Cayman Islands
165
| Importing country | MFN duty | lines from – to | data year |
|---|---|---|---|
 Afghanistan | 2.5% | 2018 · HS 2012 | |
 Albania | 2% | 2023 | |
 Algeria | 5% | 2023 | |
 Angola | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Anguilla | 10% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Antigua & Barbuda | 0% | 2021 · HS 2007 | |
| Argentina | 2% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Armenia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Aruba | 12% | 2021 · HS 2012 | |
| Australia | 0% | 2023 | |
 Azerbaijan | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Bahamas | 45% | 2022 | |
 Bahrain | 5% | 2023 | |
 Bangladesh | 5% | 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 | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Bosnia & Herzegovina | 0% | 2022 | |
 Botswana | 0% | 2023 | |
| Brazil | 2% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Brunei | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Burkina Faso | 5% | 2023 | |
 Burundi | 0% | 2023 | |
 Cambodia | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Cameroon | 10% | 2023 | |
| Canada | 0% | 2023 | |
 Cape Verde | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Cayman Islands | 22% | 2021 · HS 2002 | |
 Central African Republic | 10% | 2023 | |
 Chad | 10% | 2023 | |
 Chile | 6% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| China | 0% | 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 | 15% | 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 | 5% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
| European Union (27 countries) | 0% | 2023 | |
 Fiji | 5% | 2023 | |
 French Polynesia | 10% | 2023 | |
 Gabon | 10% | 2023 | |
 Gambia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Georgia | 0% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
 Ghana | 5% | 2023 | |
 Gibraltar | 12% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Grenada | 5% | 2023 · HS 2012 | |
 Guatemala | 10% | 2023 | |
 Guinea | 5% | 2023 | |
 Guinea-Bissau | 5% | 2023 | |
 Guyana | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Haiti | 0% | 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 | 0% | 2023 | |
 Kazakhstan | 5% | 2023 | |
 Kenya | 0% | 2023 | |
 Kiribati | 0% | 2023 · HS 2002 | |
 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 | 0% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Macao SAR China | 0% | 2023 | |
 Madagascar | 5% | 2023 | |
 Malawi | 10% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
| Malaysia | 0% | 2023 | |
 Maldives | 0% | 2023 | |
 Mali | 5% | 2023 | |
 Mauritania | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Mauritius | 0% | 2023 | |
| Mexico | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Micronesia | 4% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Moldova | 0% | 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 | |
 Nauru | 10% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 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 | 2% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| Peru | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| Philippines | 3% | 2023 | |
 Qatar | 5% | 2023 | |
| Russia | 5% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Rwanda | 0% | 2023 | |
 Samoa | 8% | 2020 · HS 2017 | |
 São Tomé & Príncipe | 10% | 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 | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 South Africa | 0% | 2023 | |
| South Korea | 0% | 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 | 3% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Suriname | 5% | 2023 · HS 2007 | |
| Switzerland | 0% | 2023 | |
 Syria | 1% | 2020 · HS 2012 | |
 Tajikistan | 8% | 2021 · HS 2012 | |
 Tanzania | 0% | 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 | 0% | 2023 | |
 Ukraine | 2% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 United Arab Emirates | 5% | 2023 | |
| United Kingdom | 0% | 2023 | |
| United States | 0% | 2023 | |
 Uruguay | 2% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Uzbekistan | 0% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Vanuatu | 0% | 2023 | |
 Venezuela | 2% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| Vietnam | 0% | 2023 | |
 Wallis & Futuna | 4% | 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. · 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
- 2841 Nickel ores & concentrates
- End use (BEC Rev. 5)
- Intermediate goods · BEC 2111
- CPC 2.1 product
- 14220 Nickel ores and concentrates
- ISIC Rev. 4 activity
- 0729 Mining of other non-ferrous metal ores
Earlier HS editions
| HS | Code | |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 2604.00 | unchanged |
| 2012 | 2604.00 | unchanged |
| 2007 | 2604.00 | unchanged |
| 2002 | 2604.00 | unchanged |
| 1996 | 2604.00 | unchanged |
| 1992 | 2604.00 | unchanged |
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.
- Sanctions · Applies from:
CELEX 32026R1848 · Source: eur-lex.europa.eu
- Import and export controls
FR Doc. 2026-14542 · 91 FR 45516 · Source: federalregister.gov
- Tariff change
FR Doc. 2026-11158 · 91 FR 33854 · Source: federalregister.gov
Subheading 2604.00 is a single line in the EU Combined Nomenclature, where the duty is duty-free.
The Turkish Customs Tariff Schedule has one tariff line for subheading 2604.00; the duty is duty-free.
Imports of nickel ores and concentrates into the UK came to £40.7k between September 2025 and August 2026 (up 56% on the year before); Spain supplied 59%, followed by Belgium.
In 2024, countries exported nickel ores and concentrates worth US$5bn (−3.5% year on year).
The largest exporter was the Philippines (US$2bn), followed by Zambia.
Questions and answers
What is the HS code for nickel ores and concentrates?
Nickel ores and concentrates fall under HS subheading 2604.00, part of heading 2604, in section V of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on nickel ores and concentrates in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 2604.00 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 nickel ores and concentrates in Türkiye?
Under the Turkish Customs Tariff Schedule, imports under 2604.00 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 nickel ores and concentrates?
The Philippines, with US$2bn in 2024 (36.3% of world exports).
Where does the UK import nickel ores and concentrates from?
In the 12 months to August 2026, the largest suppliers were Spain (59%), Belgium (38%) and France (2%), out of total imports of £40.7k.