HS Code 2616Precious metal ores and concentrates
2 six-digit codes · Heading 16 of 21 in Chapter 26 · World Customs Organization Harmonized System
HS code 2616 is the customs heading used when ores or concentrates are mined mainly for their precious metal content. Here is what it covers, how to pick the right subheading, and how to find the companies that trade under it.
Heading 2616 splits exactly two ways. Goods answering to “Precious metal ores and concentrates” classify either at 261610 or at 261690, and the wording in the table below is the whole of what separates them. The heading is number 16 of 21 in Chapter 26, Ores, slag and ash, which runs to 37 six-digit codes in all.
What HS code 2616 covers
It is for ores and concentrates. An ore is rock that holds a metal. A concentrate is ore that has been crushed and processed to raise the share of metal in it. Both are raw materials, not finished metal.
You may see this code called HSN code 2616 in India or HTS code 2616 in the United States. The first six digits are the same in every country that uses the Harmonized System. Only the digits after that differ. This is why the tariff classification at the heading level is a safe starting point for any shipment.
Duty is not set by the code alone. It depends on the tariff of the country that is importing the goods. To check how a product is classified, use the HS code classifier before you file or quote.
Silver ores or other precious metal ores: 261610 vs 261690
If the ore is described as a silver ore, this is the code.
It is the catch-all for every other precious metal ore in the heading. So the split is simple. Silver goes to 261610. Any other precious metal ore goes to 261690.
If you are not sure which side your goods fall on, read the wording on the invoice and the assay or lab report. Then match it to the description, not to a nickname used in the trade.
- 261610: silver ores and concentrates
- 261690: precious metal ores and concentrates, excluding silver
How to choose the right code
Many ores hold more than one metal. Start with the metal that gives the ore its main value. If that metal is precious, look at 2616. If it is a base metal, look at the heading for that metal.
Copper ores go to 2603. Lead ores go to 2607. Zinc ores go to 2608. An ore that fits no named heading may belong in 2617, which is for ores and concentrates not listed elsewhere.
Do not confuse ores with waste. They belong in 2620. A cargo of furnace residue with some silver in it is a residue, not a silver ore.
When two headings seem to fit, check the section and chapter notes of the tariff. They decide close cases. The classifier can also point you to the likely code.
HS code 2616 import export data: buyers and suppliers
Trade data shows who is moving goods, not only what the code means. For precious metal ores, that helps you find importers and exporters, check a customer, or look for a new source.
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. Try it with 2616, or narrow it to 261610 or 261690, to see the live shipment records.
Related
- Chapter 26: Ores, slag and ash
- HS 2603 copper ores and concentrates
- HS 2607 lead ores and concentrates
- HS 2608 zinc ores and concentrates
- HS 2617 other ores and concentrates
- HS 2620 metal-bearing slag and residues
- All HS code chapters
- Precious metal ores import data
- Precious metal ores export data
- Find buyers of precious metal ores
- Find suppliers of precious metal ores
- HS code classifier
- Book a free demo
Nearby headings in Chapter 26
- 2609Tin ores and concentrates1 code
- 2610Chromium ores and concentrates1 code
- 2611Tungsten ores and concentrates1 code
- 2612Uranium or thorium ores and concentrates2 codes
- 2613Molybdenum ores and concentrates2 codes
- 2614Titanium ores and concentrates1 code
- 2615Niobium, tantalum, vanadium or zirconium ores and concentrates2 codes
- 2617Ores and concentrates; n.e.c. in heading no. 26012 codes
- 2618Granulated slag (slag sand) from the manufacture of iron or steel1 code
- 2619Slag, dross; (other than granulated slag), scalings and other waste from the…1 code
- 2620Slag, ash and residues; (not from the manufacture of iron or steel)…9 codes
- 2621Slag and ash n.e.c. in chapter 26; including seaweed ash (kelp) and ash and…2 codes
Who ships under 2616?
EximDataX tracks the live import–export records filed under this heading and the 2 codes beneath it: named buyers, suppliers, quantities and values from official customs feeds.
Section V: Mineral Products, chapters 25–27.
HS Code 2616: common questions
What is the difference between 261610 and 261690?
261610 is for silver ores and concentrates.
Under which chapter does HS code 2616 fall?
It falls under Chapter 26, Ores, slag and ash. The chapter page lists the other headings.
Which heading covers metal-bearing slag or residues instead of ores?
Slag, ash and residues that contain metals go under 2620. Ores that are not named in another heading go under 2617.
Who imports precious metal ores under HS 2616?
Search the code on EximDataX to see the importers and exporters in the shipment records. The section on buyers and suppliers above explains what each record can show.
See what your buyers are buying.Then decide.
Everything we show you comes from official customs filings — records, not claims. 30 minutes. Your shipment. Your HS code. Real platform. If you don’t see something new about your market by the end of the call, we walk away. No follow-ups.