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HS 7901Metals

HS Code for Zinc (HS 7901)

Refined zinc is HS 7901 - unwrought. LME Special High Grade (SHG) 99.995% is the deliverable spec. Primary end-use is galvanising (steel corrosion protection). Mine treatment charges (TC/RC) - the fee smelters deduct from concentrate payable - are the leading indicator of smelter margins.

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

Sample 6-digit codes

CodeDescription
7901.11Unwrought zinc, not alloyed, containing >= 99.99% zinc
7901.12Unwrought zinc, not alloyed, other
7901.20Zinc alloys, unwrought
2608.00Zinc ores and concentrates
Need to check a specific code? Use the free HS code lookup tool.

Typical import duty by market

MarketDuty
European Union
2.5%
United States
1.5%
China
1%
Plus 13% VAT; both major producer and importer.
India (BCD)
5%
Plus 18% IGST.

Worked landed-cost example

500 MT SHG zinc, FOB Busan USD 2,800/MT, CIF Nhava Sheva India

FOB valueUSD 1,400,000
Freight + insuranceUSD 40,000
CIF valueUSD 1,440,000
India BCD @ 5%USD 72,000
IGST @ 18%USD 272,160
Landed cost ≈ USD 1.78m. Priced as LME cash + regional premium against invoice pricing period.
Run your own numbers in the import duty & tax calculator.
Regulatory checkpoints
  • · LME approved brand list - SHG deliverable brands.
  • · IMSBC Code - zinc concentrates Group A (liquefaction risk); refined zinc metal not dangerous.
  • · Basel Convention on zinc-bearing residues / dust for recycling shipments.
  • · REACH registration for EU zinc metal imports > 1 t/year.
Top exporting countries
  • · China (net importer of concentrate, exporter of refined at times)
  • · South Korea
  • · Canada
  • · Australia
  • · Peru
  • · India (Hindustan Zinc)

Frequently asked questions

How does TC/RC work?

Smelters charge miners a Treatment Charge (USD per t of concentrate) and Refining Charge (USc per lb of contained metal). High TC/RC = smelters bidding down concentrate = tight refined market. Low TC/RC = surplus refined capacity or tight concentrate supply. Reference: annual benchmark negotiated by Chinese smelters.

Destination market toolkits

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

Import into India →
IGST on imports · 5% / 12% / 18% / 28%
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 South Korea →
VAT · 10%
Import into Australia →
GST · 10%

Metals landed-cost pages: every destination market

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

Related commodity guides

HS 72Metals
HS Code for Iron & Steel (Chapter 72) →
HS 2601Metals
HS Code for Iron Ore (HS 2601) →
HS 74Metals
HS Code for Copper (Chapter 74 & 2603) →
HS 76Metals
HS Code for Aluminium (Chapter 76) →

Related tools

HS Code Lookup →
Search harmonised codes across 21 sections.
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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