WCO Explanatory Notes reproduced for reference. © World Customs Organization. Verify against official WCO publication.
25.24 - Asbestos. 2524.10 - Crocidolite 2524.90 - Other Asbestos is a natural mineral substance produced by the decomposition of certain rocks. It has a very characteristic fibrous texture; it is sometimes silky in ap earance and the colour varies greatly, being usually white, but sometimes grey, greenish, lue or dark brown. Its main property is its resistance to fire and acids. g Crocidolite is the asbestos form of riebeckite. It is found in the form of fibre bundles in magmatic rock which is acid with a high alkali content and also in metamo hic rock. It is dark blue to black or dark green and is translucent to partially o aque. Croci olite asbestos, also known as blue asbestos, has a greater tensile strengths but a ower resistance to heat and less elastic fibres than other forms of asbestos and is acid resistant but not base resistant. It is considered the most dangerous form of asbestos. '!i The heading a plies to crude asbestos in rock form, to raw, beaten or washed fibres, whether graded to lengt or not, to asbestos in flakes or powder and also to asbestos waste. The headin excludes fibre which has been further processed (carded, dyed, etc.) and finished articles o asbestos (heading 68.12). %
1.- Except where their context or Note 4 to this Chapter otherwise requires, the headings of this Chapter cover only products which are in the crude state or which have been washed (even with chemical substances eliminating the impurities without changing the structure of the product), crushed, ground, powdered, levigated, sifted, screened, concentrated by flotation, magnetic separation or other mechanical or physical processes (except crystallisation), but not products which have been roasted, calcined, obtained by mixing or subjected to processing beyond that mentioned in each heading. The products of this Chapter may contain an added anti-dusting agent, provided that such addition does not render the product particularly suitable for specific use rather than for general use. 2.- This Chapter does not cover : (a) Sublimed sulphur, precipitated sulphur or colloidal sulphur (heading 28.02); (b) Earth colours containing 70 % or more by weight of combined iron evaluated as Fe O 2 3 (heading 28.21); (c) Medicaments or other products of Chapter 30; (d) Perfumery, cosmetic or toilet preparations (Chapter 33); (e) Dolomite ramming mix (heading 38.16); (f) Setts, curbstones or flagstones (heading 68.01); mosaic cubes or the like (heading 68.02); roofing, facing or damp course slates (heading 68.03); (g) Precious or semi-precious stones (heading 71.02 or 71.03); (h) Cultured crystals (other than optical elements) weighing not less than 2.5 g each, of sodium chloride or of magnesium oxide, of heading 38.24; optical elements of sodium chloride or of magnesium oxide (heading 90.01); (ij) Billiard chalks (heading 95.04); or (k) Writing or drawing chalks or tailors' chalks (heading 96.09). 3.- Any products classifiable in heading 25.17 and any other heading of the Chapter are to be classified in heading 25.17. 4.- Heading 25.30 applies, inter alia, to : vermiculite, perlite and chlorites, unexpanded; earth colours, whether or not calcined or mixed together; natural micaceous iron oxides; meerschaum (whether or not in polished pieces); amber; agglomerated meerschaum and agglomerated amber, in plates, rods, sticks or similar forms, not worked after moulding; jet; strontianite (whether or not calcined), other than strontium oxide; broken pieces of pottery, brick or concrete.