Subheading · Chapter 26 · Heading 2616

2616.90

2616.90: Precious-metal ores and concentrates: other

Gold and other precious metal ores

Official description Other

2616.90 is the HS subheading for gold and other precious metal ores, under heading 2616 in chapter 26.

What you pay

Importing into UK

Customs duty Free standard rate · across 2 national lines depends on the country of origin
Additional duties and charges 1 additional measure Import requirements: 3
VAT 20.00 % import VAT
Duty calculatorCalculate duty and taxes →

Rates by national line · UK Global Tariff

UK lines →
  1. 2616 90 00 00 Other Free
  2. 2616 90 00 10 Gold ores and concentrates Free
  3. 2616 90 00 90 Other Free

Additional duties and import rules

Charges on top of the customs duty, and rules the goods must meet at the border.

Additional duties and charges 1

  • Additional dutyAdditional duties 35%
    Applies to goods from
    Belarus, Russia
    Legal act
    2022 No. 598
    Documents
    • 9014

Import requirements 3

  • Prohibition or restrictionImport prohibition
    Applies to goods from
    North Korea
    Legal act
    S.I. 2019/411
    Tariff lines
    on 1 of 2 lines
  • 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 schemeCountriesRate
standard rate (no agreement)—Free
DCTS Comprehensive
Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin and 38 more

Afghanistan, 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")
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia and 23 more

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden

Free
CARIFORUM
Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize and 10 more

Antigua & 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 more

Anguilla, 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

last 12 months£1.1bn+101.5% · previous 12 months
Average import price£7,963.38 per kg
Jan 2024: £44.6mFeb 2024: £45.8mMar 2024: £46.6mApr 2024: £61.1mMay 2024: £44.2mJun 2024: £42.3mJul 2024: £31.6mAug 2024: £33.9mSept 2024: £33.8mOct 2024: £37.6mNov 2024: £59.1mDec 2024: £49.7mJan 2025: £45.8mFeb 2025: £36.3mMar 2025: £59.6mApr 2025: £44.3mMay 2025: £54.1mJun 2025: £39.7mJul 2025: £33mAug 2025: £56.4mSept 2025: £61.6mOct 2025: £77.9mNov 2025: £64.4mDec 2025: £166.2mJan 2026: £99mFeb 2026: £86.8mMar 2026: £100.7mApr 2026: £95.9mMay 2026: £131.6mJun 2026: £71mJul 2026: £81.2mAug 2026: £71m 202420252026
Data up to August 2026 (provisional) · Monthly data: Eurostat Comext (CC BY 4.0), HMRC (OGL v3.0)

Main suppliers, last 12 months

CountryValueShareChange
South Africa £789.1m 71.3% +117%
Germany £217.9m 19.7% +62.9%
Finland £38.2m 3.5% +448.8%
Poland £32.7m 3% -10.5%
Sweden £29.2m 2.6% +302.7%
United States £140k 0% -88.5%
Canada £82k 0% —
United Arab Emirates £22k 0% —

Same subheading in other tariffs

World trade in 2024

2616.90 · US$13.1bn

Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$2mUS$2m+US$76m+US$384m+> US$1.1bn

Exports: 113
  1. Russia: US$1.7bn
  2. Australia: US$1.6bn
  3. South Africa: US$1.1bn
  4. Indonesia: US$1.1bn
  5. Peru: US$887m
  6. Bulgaria: US$869m
  7. Ecuador: US$815m
  8. Mexico: US$650m
  9. Canada: US$543m
  10. Papua New Guinea: US$472m
  11. Brazil: US$384m
  12. Kazakhstan: US$311m
  13. United States: US$296m
  14. Türkiye: US$209m
  15. Tajikistan: US$207m
  16. Kyrgyzstan: US$200m
  17. Colombia: US$176m
  18. Taiwan: US$169m
  19. Greece: US$135m
  20. Armenia: US$127m
  21. Malaysia: US$114m
  22. Germany: US$108m
  23. Finland: US$107m
  24. Philippines: US$105m
  25. Sweden: US$104m
  26. Chile: US$79m
  27. Solomon Islands: US$76m
  28. Serbia: US$74m
  29. Spain: US$69m
  30. Georgia: US$49m
  31. Netherlands: US$42m
  32. Saudi Arabia: US$39m
  33. Laos: US$33m
  34. Poland: US$31m
  35. Zimbabwe: US$26m
  36. Tanzania: US$25m
  37. Slovakia: US$24m
  38. Argentina: US$20m
  39. India: US$14m
  40. Eritrea: US$14m
  41. Montenegro: US$11m
  42. Pakistan: US$9m
  43. Myanmar (Burma): US$8m
  44. Nigeria: US$7m
  45. Kenya: US$7m
  46. Bolivia: US$7m
  47. France: US$7m
  48. Mongolia: US$6m
  49. China: US$6m
  50. Algeria: US$3m
  51. Uganda: US$2m
  52. Ireland: US$2m
  53. United Kingdom: US$2m
  54. Cuba: US$2m
  55. Panama: US$2m
  56. Ukraine: US$2m
  57. Switzerland: US$1m
  58. Zambia: US$1m
  59. Dominican Republic: US$715k
  60. Belgium: US$680k

Top exporters

RankCountryValueShare
1 Russia US$1.7bn 12.7%
2 Australia US$1.6bn 12.2%
3 South Africa US$1.1bn 8.2%
4 Indonesia US$1.1bn 8.1%
5 Peru US$887m 6.8%
6 Bulgaria US$869m 6.6%
7 Ecuador US$815m 6.2%
8 Mexico US$650m 5%
9 Canada US$543m 4.1%
10 Papua New Guinea US$472m 3.6%

Top importers

RankCountryValueShare
1 China US$6.9bn 52.7%
2 Germany US$2.2bn 16.5%
3 South Korea US$654m 5%
4 Philippines US$618m 4.7%
5 United Kingdom US$569m 4.3%
6 Japan US$415m 3.2%
7 Finland US$321m 2.5%
8 Taiwan US$251m 1.9%
9 Bulgaria US$159m 1.2%
10 Switzerland US$157m 1.2%

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.

  • 4%median duty
  • 66number of duty-free countries (MFN)
  • 45%highest: Bahamas, Bermuda, Cayman Islands

165

Importing countryMFN dutylines from – todata year
Afghanistan 2.5% 2018 · HS 2012
Albania 2% 2023
Algeria 5% 2023
Angola 10% 2023 · HS 2017
Anguilla 10% 2021 · HS 2017
Antigua & Barbuda 0% 2021 · HS 2007
Argentina 4% 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
Barbados 5% 2022 · HS 2017
Belarus 0% 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 4% 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 5% 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 5% 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 15% 2023
Guinea 5% 2023
Guinea-Bissau 5% 2023
Guyana 5% 2023 · HS 2017
Haiti 0% 2020 · HS 2017
Honduras 5% 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 3% 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
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 5% 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 5% 0% – 10% 2023
Papua New Guinea 0% 2023
Paraguay 4% 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 0% 2023 · HS 2017
United Arab Emirates 5% 2023
United Kingdom 0% 2023
United States 0.5%* 2023
Uruguay 4% 2023 · HS 2017
Uzbekistan 0% 2021 · HS 2017
Vanuatu 0% 2023
Venezuela 4% 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. * 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
28919 Ores & concentrates of other precious metals
End use (BEC Rev. 5)
Intermediate goods · BEC 2111
CPC 2.1 product
14240 Precious metal ores and concentrates
ISIC Rev. 4 activity
0729 Mining of other non-ferrous metal ores

Earlier HS editions

HSCode
20172616.90unchanged
20122616.90unchanged
20072616.90unchanged
20022616.90unchanged
19962616.90unchanged
19922616.90unchanged

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.

  1. EU Tariff change · Applies from:

    Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/2163 of 17 September 2026 amending Annex I to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 on the tariff and statistical nomenclature and on the Common Customs Tariff

    CELEX 32026R2163 · Source: eur-lex.europa.eu

  2. EU Sanctions · Applies from:

    Council Regulation (EU) 2026/1848 of 23 July 2026 amending Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine

    CELEX 32026R1848 · Source: eur-lex.europa.eu

Rule changes →

The UK Global Tariff divides subheading 2616.90 into 2 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.

Subheading 2616.90 is a single line in the EU Combined Nomenclature, where the duty is duty-free.

156 countries pay no duty in the UK thanks to trade agreements and preference schemes such as DCTS Comprehensive and European Union, against a standard rate of Free.

In the UK, additional duty of 35% applies on top of the customs duty to goods from Belarus and Russia.

Imports of gold and other precious metal ores into the UK came to £1.1bn between September 2025 and August 2026 (up 102% on the year before); South Africa supplied 71%, followed by Germany.

In 2024, countries exported gold and other precious metal ores worth US$13.1bn (+22.6% year on year).

The largest exporter was Russia (US$1.7bn), followed by Australia.

Products classified here

Questions and answers

What is the HS code for precious-metal ores and concentrates: other?

Precious-metal ores and concentrates: other fall under HS subheading 2616.90, part of heading 2616, in section V of the Harmonized System.

What is the import duty on precious-metal ores and concentrates: other in the UK?

Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 2616.90 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 precious-metal ores and concentrates: other in the EU?

Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 2616.90 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 precious-metal ores and concentrates: other?

Russia, with US$1.7bn in 2024 (12.7% of world exports).

Which countries can export gold and other precious metal ores to the UK duty-free?

156 countries pay no duty under a trade agreement or preference scheme, among them partners under DCTS Comprehensive, European Union, CARIFORUM. The goods must meet the agreement’s rules of origin and the importer needs proof of origin; otherwise the standard rate of Free applies. Pick a country above to see its rate.

Is there anti-dumping duty on gold and other precious metal ores?

The UK charges additional duty of 35% on goods from Belarus and Russia. Lower rates apply to the named exporters listed in the measure.

Where does the UK import gold and other precious metal ores from?

In the 12 months to August 2026, the largest suppliers were South Africa (71%), Germany (20%) and Finland (4%), out of total imports of £1.1bn.

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Typical products

Everyday names, not part of the legal text.