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HS 8112.92Critical minerals

HS Code for Germanium (HS 8112.92)

Germanium is a by-product of zinc mining and coal fly-ash processing. Used for fibre-optic core doping (higher refractive index than pure silica), IR optics for night vision, and III-V multi-junction solar cells on satellites. China imposed export licences alongside gallium in Aug 2023.

Reviewed against WCO HS · WTO IDB · National customs schedules4 authoritative sourcesLast reviewed July 2026

Sample 6-digit codes

CodeDescription
8112.92Germanium unwrought/powders/waste
2825.60Germanium oxide
Need to check a specific code? Use the free HS code lookup tool.

Typical import duty by market

MarketDuty
European Union
0%
United States
0-3.7%
Japan
0%

Worked landed-cost example

100 kg germanium metal 99.999%, FOB Shenzhen USD 3,200/kg (with export licence), CIF Tokyo

FOBUSD 320,000
Air freightUSD 3,000
CIFUSD 323,000
Landed ≈ USD 323k for 100 kg. Priced doubled post Aug 2023 Chinese controls.
Run your own numbers in the import duty & tax calculator.
Regulatory checkpoints
  • · Chinese Export Control Law 2023 - germanium metal and dioxide require export licence from 1 August 2023.
  • · EU CRM Act 2024 strategic.
  • · REACH.
Top exporting countries
  • · China
  • · Russia (sanctioned)
  • · USA (Umicore recycling)
  • · Belgium (Umicore)

Frequently asked questions

Space-grade vs fibre-grade?

Multi-junction GaAs solar cells on satellites need 99.9999% (6N) Ge wafer substrate - USD 400-800 per 4-inch wafer. Fibre-optic grade needs 99.999% (5N) as tetrachloride precursor. Same HS but different specs and 5-10x price differential.

Destination market toolkits

Country-specific duty, VAT/GST and Incoterms practice for the top destinations for critical minerals.

Import into China →
Import VAT · 13% standard, 9% reduced, 6% services
Import into United States →
No federal VAT / GST · 0% federal
Import into Germany →
VAT (Umsatzsteuer / Einfuhrumsatzsteuer) · 19% standard, 7% reduced
Import into Japan →
Consumption Tax (JCT) · 10% standard / 8% reduced (food, newspapers)
Import into India →
IGST on imports · 5% / 12% / 18% / 28%
Import into United Arab Emirates →
VAT · 5% standard

Critical minerals landed-cost pages: every destination market

Jump straight to the critical minerals import guide for any of the destination markets we cover.

Related commodity guides

HS 2836.91Critical minerals
HS Code for Lithium Carbonate (HS 2836.91) →
HS 2825.20Critical minerals
HS Code for Lithium Hydroxide (HS 2825.20) →
HS 8105Critical minerals
HS Code for Cobalt (HS 8105) →
HS 2504Critical minerals
HS Code for Graphite (HS 2504) →

Related tools

HS Code Lookup →
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Import Duty & Tax →
Landed cost with duty, VAT/GST and cess.
Landed Cost by HS & Country →
Duty + VAT/GST + Incoterm split for this HS.
CIF ↔ FOB Converter →
Convert customs value between Incoterms.

Sources & citations

Duty rates and regulations compiled from WCO HS, WTO integrated database, national customs authorities and published FTA schedules. Provided for decision-support only - confirm the 10-digit line and current preferential status with your licensed customs broker before acting.

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