WCO Explanatory Notes reproduced for reference. © World Customs Organization. Verify against official WCO publication.
25.30 Mineral substances not elsewhere specified or included. 2530.10 - Vermiculite, perlite and chlorites, unexpanded 2530.20 - Kieserite, epsomite (natural magnesium sulphates) 2530.90 - Other (A) EARTH COLOURS, WHETHER OR NOT CALCINED OR MlXED TOGETEKER; NATURAL, MICACEOUS IRON OXIDES The colours classified here are usually naturally occurring clays mixed with white or coloured mineral substances, particularly iron oxide; because of their colouring properti'es, they are generally used as pigments. They include : (1) Ochres (yellow, brown, red, Spanish red, etc.). (2) Siennas (Italian sienna, yellow-brown; and burnt sienna, orange-brown, etc.). (3) Umbers (including burnt umber), which are brown or dark brown. (4) Black earths and natural vandyke brown (Cassel and Cologne earths). Soluble vandyke brown is a prepared pigment whtch falls in heading 32.06. (5) Verona earth and Cyprus earth ((green). Calcination or the mixing together of various earth colours does not affect their classification. However, when mixed wlth other substances or presented as dispersions in water, oil, etc., they fall in Chapter 32. The heading excludes iron ores (heading 26.01) and earth colours containing 70 % or more by weight of combined iron evaluated as Fe203(headmg 28.21). However, micaceous iron oxides, used mainly as anti-rust igments are classified in this heading although they naturally contain more than 70 % by wei& of combined iron. (B) MEERSCHAUM (WHETHER OR NOT IN POLISHED PIECES) AND AMBER; AGGLOMERATED MEERSCHAUM AND AGGLOMERATED AMBER, IN PLATES, RODS, STICKS OR SIMILAR FORMS, NOT WORKED AFTER MOULDING; JET (1) Natural meerschaum is a very light and porous hydrated silicate of magnesia, white, yellowish, grey or pink, found almost exclusively in Asia Minor. It is obta~nedin small pieces (the sides seldom exceed 30 cm), These pieces are submitted to a cleaning, scra ing, wool polishing and drylng (in the sun or in an oven), further flanne and wax polishing, in order to improve their appearance and to establis their grade or quality. P Agglomerated meerschaum is obtamed by ag lomerating shavings and other waste of natural meerschaum with bindin agents (oils, a urn, etc.) under the influence of heat. It falls here only when in plates, roc%, sticks or similar forms, not worked after moulding. (2) Amber is a fossilised resin also known as " succinite " or " Karabd "). It generally ranges in colour from yellow to eep orange. Care should be taken not to confuse amber or succinite with ambergris, a secretion of the whale, classified in headin 05.10. Ag lomerated amber (or arnbroid) is an opaque mineral su stance formed by agg omerating amber waste. It falls in this heading only when in plates, rods, sticks or similar forms, not worked after moulding. f' r (3) Jet is a compact variety of li ite. It is intensely black, easily carved and takes a high polish. Although emplo ed in t e manufacture of jewellery, it is not regarded as a precious stone for the purpose o the Nomenclature. (C) STRONTIANITE (WHETHER OR NOT CALCINED), OTHER THAN STRONTIUM OXIDE This group covers strontianite (natural strontium carbonates) and calcined strontianite, which consists mainly of impure strontium oxide. The heading excludes pure strontium oxide (heading 28.16). (D) MINERAL SUBSTANCES NOT ELSEWHERE SPECIFIED OR INCLUDED; BROKEN POTTERY This group covers, inter alia : (1) Natural arsenic sulphides. The two main varieties are : (i) Realgar, which is an arsenic disulphide, bright red in colour, used in pyrotechnics. (ii) Orpiment, which is an arsenic trisulphide, bright yellow, used in paint-making. Mispickel (arsenical pyrites or iron thioarsenide) is also included in this heading. (2) Alunite, also called alumstone because it is em loyed in the manufacture of alum. It is a stony substance, reddish-grey or yellowish in co our, and stains the fingers. t' (3) Vermiculite, a mineral allied to mica and similar in colour but usually in the form of smaller flakes; also chlorites and perlite, minerals chemically related to vermiculite. These minerals expand when heated and then constitute heat-insulating materials. In the expanded (or exfoliated) forms they are, however, classified in heading 68.06. (4) Lydite, a very hard, rough, fme-textured and even-grained, dark stone, not attacked by acids. Touchstones made of lydite (e.g., for testing precious metals) fall in heading 68.15. d (5) Celestite (natural strontium sulphate ; Iceland spar (or calcite) and aragonite, which are crystallised calcium carbonates; lepi olite (lithium mica) (fluosllicoaluminate of potassium and lithium) and amblygonite (aluminium phosphatelithium fluoride). (6) Garden earth, heath earth, marsh earth, marl, alluvium, leaf moulds and excavated soil and subsoil, which, although used in agriculture or in landscaping, are not included under Chapter 3 1 (Fertilisers) whether or not they contain in the natural state small quantities of hosphorus or potassium. However, the heading excludes excavated natural itr0gen3af sands of 1kinds (heading 25.05). (7) Pozzolana, santorin, trass and similar earths, sometimes called natural cements because they are used in cement manufacture. (8) Limestone (known as " lithographic stone " and used in the printing industry), in the crude state. (9) Broken pottery, broken pieces of brick and broken pieces of concrete. (10) Ores of the rare earth metals (e. ., bashasite, xenotime, gadolinite), but not including monazites and other ores used sole y or principally for the extraction of uranium or thorium (heading 26.12). f (1 1) Opacifiers used in enamelling, obtained by the treatment (purification with hydrochloric acid and micronisation) of zircon sand. (12) Molybdenite " concentrates " obtained from molybdenum ores by certain physical treatments such as washing, grinding, flotation and by heat treatment (other than calcination) designed to drive off traces of oil and water, for non-metallurgical uses (lubrication). (13) Nsutite, a manganese ore containing not less than 79 % by weight of man anese oxides, not used in the metallurgical industry for the extraction of manganese ut in electric batteries. i (14) Natural cryolite, obtained mainly from Greenland, snow-white, occasionally tinged with colour, shiny and almost transparent, used as a flux particularly in the electrolytic production of aluminium; natural chiolite, which, like cryolite, may be regarded as a sodium fluoroaluminate. The heading excludes chemically produced fluorides of similar composition to cryolite and chiolite (heading 28.26). The heading does not cover precious or semi-precious stones of Chapter 71.
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.