Subheading · Chapter 26 · Heading 2608
2608.00: Zinc ores and concentrates
2608.00 is the HS subheading for zinc ores and concentrates, under heading 2608 in chapter 26.
What you pay
Importing into UK
Rates by national line · UK Global Tariff
UK lines →- 2608 00 00 00 Zinc 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 | £51k | 66.8% | — |
 United States | £12k | 16.1% | -91.7% |
 India | £10k | 13.7% | — |
 Poland | £2k | 3.2% | — |
 Netherlands | £157 | 0.2% | +53.9% |
 Czechia | £0 | 0% | -100% |
 Thailand | £0 | 0% | -100% |
 Zambia | £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) 4 tariff lines 
Mexico Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Brazil Free General (MFN) 2 tariff lines 
Argentina Free General (MFN) 4 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) 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$3mUS$3m+US$79m+US$278m+> US$1.1bn
Exports: 110
- Peru: US$1.9bn
- Australia: US$1.5bn
- United States: US$1.4bn
- Mexico: US$1.1bn
- Bolivia: US$1.1bn
- Sweden: US$468m
- Russia: US$448m
- Türkiye: US$418m
- Kazakhstan: US$337m
- South Africa: US$293m
- Eritrea: US$278m
- Belgium: US$268m
- Brazil: US$193m
- Portugal: US$191m
- Chile: US$171m
- Congo - Kinshasa: US$128m
- Italy: US$125m
- Pakistan: US$125m
- Canada: US$119m
- Spain: US$117m
- Saudi Arabia: US$116m
- Finland: US$113m
- Mongolia: US$111m
- Cuba: US$107m
- Tajikistan: US$95m
- Germany: US$84m
- Zambia: US$79m
- France: US$77m
- Vietnam: US$76m
- Morocco: US$74m
- Iran: US$71m
- Oman: US$64m
- United Kingdom: US$61m
- Nigeria: US$61m
- North Macedonia: US$44m
- Greece: US$37m
- Montenegro: US$30m
- Dominican Republic: US$29m
- Serbia: US$28m
- Bosnia & Herzegovina: US$27m
- South Korea: US$25m
- Honduras: US$19m
- Netherlands: US$19m
- Armenia: US$18m
- Indonesia: US$18m
- Myanmar (Burma): US$16m
- Argentina: US$12m
- China: US$6m
- Malaysia: US$5m
- Poland: US$5m
- Tunisia: US$4m
- Ireland: US$4m
- Bulgaria: US$3m
- Ecuador: US$3m
- Taiwan: US$3m
- Egypt: US$2m
- India: US$2m
- United Arab Emirates: US$2m
- Japan: US$1m
- Congo - Brazzaville: US$1m
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$489kUS$489k+US$52m+US$299m+> US$982m
Imports: 85
- China: US$4.3bn
- South Korea: US$1.5bn
- Spain: US$982m
- Canada: US$771m
- Japan: US$664m
- Belgium: US$632m
- Finland: US$589m
- Sweden: US$324m
- France: US$299m
- Netherlands: US$285m
- Norway: US$282m
- Australia: US$264m
- Germany: US$258m
- Kazakhstan: US$226m
- Brazil: US$132m
- Poland: US$129m
- Zambia: US$98m
- Bulgaria: US$81m
- Russia: US$80m
- Uzbekistan: US$76m
- United States: US$52m
- Iran: US$42m
- Switzerland: US$35m
- Tanzania: US$32m
- Singapore: US$23m
- Peru: US$16m
- Slovakia: US$12m
- Mexico: US$11m
- Croatia: US$11m
- Türkiye: US$7m
- Indonesia: US$7m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$6m
- United Arab Emirates: US$6m
- Thailand: US$3m
- Vietnam: US$2m
- Italy: US$2m
- South Africa: US$1m
- United Kingdom: US$764k
- Taiwan: US$750k
- Austria: US$618k
- Malaysia: US$489k
- Luxembourg: US$489k
- Uganda: US$440k
- Ireland: US$368k
- Greece: US$339k
- Romania: US$282k
- India: US$244k
- Chile: US$160k
- Cambodia: US$148k
- Saudi Arabia: US$104k
- El Salvador: US$103k
- Iraq: US$102k
- Zimbabwe: US$89k
- Czechia: US$63k
- Portugal: US$58k
- Congo - Brazzaville: US$30k
- Honduras: US$28k
- Panama: US$21k
- Slovenia: US$19k
- Hungary: US$13k
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peru | US$1.9bn | 15.5% |
| 2 |  Australia | US$1.5bn | 12.2% |
| 3 | United States | US$1.4bn | 11.6% |
| 4 | Mexico | US$1.1bn | 8.8% |
| 5 |  Bolivia | US$1.1bn | 8.6% |
| 6 |  Sweden | US$468m | 3.8% |
| 7 |  Russia | US$448m | 3.7% |
| 8 | Türkiye | US$418m | 3.4% |
| 9 |  Kazakhstan | US$337m | 2.7% |
| 10 |  South Africa | US$293m | 2.4% |
Top importers
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  China | US$4.3bn | 35.1% |
| 2 |  South Korea | US$1.5bn | 12.1% |
| 3 | Spain | US$982m | 8% |
| 4 | Canada | US$771m | 6.3% |
| 5 | Japan | US$664m | 5.4% |
| 6 |  Belgium | US$632m | 5.2% |
| 7 |  Finland | US$589m | 4.8% |
| 8 | Sweden | US$324m | 2.6% |
| 9 |  France | US$299m | 2.4% |
| 10 | Netherlands | US$285m | 2.3% |
Import duty on this product around the world 162
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.
- 2%median duty
- 72number of duty-free countries (MFN)
- 45%highest: Bahamas, Bermuda, Cayman Islands
162
| 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 | |
 Antigua & Barbuda | 0% | 2021 · HS 2007 | |
| Argentina | 2% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Armenia | 0% | 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 | |
 Belarus | 0% | 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 | 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 | 5% | 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 | 0% | 2023 | |
| Kazakhstan | 0% | 2023 | |
 Kenya | 0% | 2023 | |
 Kiribati | 0% | 2023 · HS 2002 | |
 Kuwait | 5% | 2023 | |
 Kyrgyzstan | 0% | 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 | |
 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 | 0% | 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
- 2875 Zinc ores & concentrates
- End use (BEC Rev. 5)
- Intermediate goods · BEC 2111
- CPC 2.1 product
- 14290 Other non-ferrous metal ores and concentrates (other than uranium or thorium ores and concentrates)
- ISIC Rev. 4 activity
- 0729 Mining of other non-ferrous metal ores
Earlier HS editions
| HS | Code | |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 2608.00 | unchanged |
| 2012 | 2608.00 | unchanged |
| 2007 | 2608.00 | unchanged |
| 2002 | 2608.00 | unchanged |
| 1996 | 2608.00 | unchanged |
| 1992 | 2608.00 | 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.
- Tariff change · Applies from:
CELEX 32026R2163 · 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 2608.00 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 2608.00; the duty is duty-free.
Imports of zinc ores and concentrates into the UK came to £76.3k between September 2025 and August 2026 (down 68% on the year before); Spain supplied 67%, followed by United States.
In 2024, countries exported zinc ores and concentrates worth US$12.3bn (+6.6% year on year).
The largest exporter was Peru (US$1.9bn), followed by Australia.
Questions and answers
What is the HS code for zinc ores and concentrates?
Zinc ores and concentrates fall under HS subheading 2608.00, part of heading 2608, in section V of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on zinc ores and concentrates in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 2608.00 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 zinc ores and concentrates in Türkiye?
Under the Turkish Customs Tariff Schedule, imports under 2608.00 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 zinc ores and concentrates?
Peru, with US$1.9bn in 2024 (15.5% of world exports).
Where does the UK import zinc ores and concentrates from?
In the 12 months to August 2026, the largest suppliers were Spain (67%), United States (16%) and India (14%), out of total imports of £76.3k.