HS Code 2604Nickel ores and concentrates

What HS code 2604 covers

Nickel ore is rock that holds enough nickel to be worth mining. A nickel concentrate is the same rock after it has been crushed and separated, so the share of nickel is higher. Both are shipped in bulk, and customs offices file both under this heading.

Only the raw ore and the concentrate belong here. Refined nickel, nickel alloys and goods made from nickel are classed in other parts of the tariff, outside the ores chapter.

Importers, exporters, freight agents and tax advisers all rely on this heading when they fill in shipping papers. A wrong code can delay a cargo at the border, so it pays to check the scope first.

HSN 2604 and code 260400: how the number is built

Indian paperwork often says HSN code 2604, and US sources say HTS. All of them start from the same Harmonized System number. The first four digits, 2604, name the heading. Two more digits give 260400, the full code for this product.

The World Customs Organization stops at 260400, so there is no finer split inside it. Individual countries may add extra digits for their own tariffs. Duty and tax are also set by each country on top of the code, so read your national schedule for those. To test a product description against the system, use the

HS code classifier.

Nickel ores versus other ores: picking the right code

Mix-ups happen because every ore heading uses a similar wording pattern. Each metal has its own heading, so start from the metal named in the description of your goods. These are the headings most often confused with nickel ore:

• Copper ores and concentrates go to 2603.
• Cobalt ores and concentrates go to 2605, the heading right after nickel.
• Precious metal ores and concentrates go to 2616.
• This is waste material, not ore.

Who imports nickel ore under HS 2604? Find buyers and suppliers

Customs records show who moves nickel ore and concentrates, and between which countries. Open the import data and export data pages to look at each side of a trade. Use the buyer data and supplier data pages when you want company names.

EximDataX shows shipment-level import and export records from official customs sources. Coverage: 43 direct customs feeds plus 184 mirror-derived countries. Named buyers and named suppliers are available in 38 of the 43 direct markets. Most markets refresh weekly and some refresh daily. You can search by HS code to see who imports and exports a product, and book a free demo.

Other headings in Chapter 26

Next to nickel you will find iron ores in 2601, manganese ores in 2602 and tin ores in 2609. Each of these has its own page with its own code. Browse the full chapter for the rest, or start again from the list of all chapters.