HS 2504Critical minerals

HS Code for Graphite (HS 2504)

Graphite is a dual-use critical mineral: natural flake (2504) or synthetic (3801). Both flow to spherical purified graphite (SPG) for battery anodes - a market ~95% Chinese-controlled. From Oct 2023 China imposed export licences on high-purity graphite, and the US IRA excludes FEOC-sourced graphite from 30D battery-mineral credit from 2025.

Reviewed against WCO HS · WTO IDB · National customs schedules6 authoritative sourcesLast reviewed July 2026

Sample 6-digit codes

Code	Description
2504.10	Natural graphite, in powder or in flakes
2504.90	Other natural graphite
3801.10	Artificial graphite
3801.20	Colloidal or semi-colloidal graphite
3801.30	Carbonaceous pastes for electrodes

Need to check a specific code? Use the free HS code lookup tool.

Typical import duty by market

Market	Duty
European Union	0-2.7%
United States	0-4.9% Section 301 on China origin - varies by 8-digit line; graphite added to Section 301 list in 2024.
China	0% But export licence required for high-purity graphite since Dec 2023.
Japan	0%
South Korea	1%

Worked landed-cost example

500 MT SPG anode material, FOB Qingdao USD 3,800/MT, CIF Long Beach US

FOB valueUSD 1,900,000

Freight + insuranceUSD 40,000

CIF valueUSD 1,940,000

US Section 301 duty (25% currently)USD 485,000

MPF (capped)USD 634

Landed cost ≈ USD 2.43m. IRA 30D FEOC exemption expires end 2026 - after which battery-grade graphite from China loses EV-credit eligibility.

Run your own numbers in the import duty & tax calculator.

Regulatory checkpoints

· China MOFCOM export licence: from 1 Dec 2023 on high-purity, high-strength, high-density graphite.
· US IRA 30D FEOC rules - graphite excluded from FEOC sources from 2025 (with 2-year extension for graphite specifically).
· EU Critical Raw Materials Act - graphite listed as strategic and critical.
· REACH registration for synthetic graphite manufactured/imported > 1 t/year.

Top exporting countries

· China (natural flake, synthetic, SPG)
· Madagascar
· Mozambique
· Brazil
· South Korea (synthetic)

Frequently asked questions

Natural vs synthetic anode?

Natural spherical purified graphite (SPG) - lower cost, higher energy density. Synthetic - higher cycle life, better fast-charge, higher cost. Most EV battery cells use a blend. Both attract the same regulatory scrutiny.

How does the China export licence work?

Applications require end-user information, product specs, and shipment details. Approval times vary from weeks to months. Buyers have shifted to non-Chinese natural graphite (Mozambique, Madagascar) with mixed success on quality.