HS Code 2805Alkali or alkaline-earth metals; rare-earth metals, scandium and yttrium, whether or not intermixed or interalloyed; mercury

What HS code 2805 covers

It sits in Chapter 28 inorganic chemicals, but it is about metals, not salts or acids. The heading names alkali metals such as sodium, alkaline-earth metals such as calcium, rare-earth metals, scandium, yttrium and mercury.

A four-digit heading is only the first step in HS heading classification. A shipment is finally declared under a six-digit subheading, and every subheading has its own customs description. Importers, exporters and customs officers all rely on that exact wording.

What products are classified under HS 2805?

Each six-digit subheading has one clear job. Here is a plain-language reading of each one.

• 280511: sodium metal.
• 280512: calcium metal.
• 280519: any other alkali or alkaline-earth metal, meaning one that is neither sodium nor calcium.
• 280530: rare-earth metals, scandium and yttrium, whether or not mixed or alloyed with each other.
• 280540: mercury.

How to confirm the correct HS code for alkali metals

Start with the product itself. Is it a pure metal or a compound? If it is a metal, heading 2805 is the right place to look. If it is a compound, such as an oxide or a salt, look in another heading.

Next, name the metal.

Then compare your product with the customs description, word for word. In 280530, the words "intermixed or interalloyed" mean the metals may be mixed or alloyed with each other and still belong in this code.

If you are still unsure, try the HS code classifier and check your national tariff. Duty rates vary by country, so they are not listed on this page.

What does HS code 2805 not include?

Heading 2805 is for the metals only. Compounds and mixtures with other substances are classified elsewhere. This is the most common mistake with mercury and rare-earth products.

• Compounds of rare-earth metals, yttrium or scandium go to heading 2846.
• Compounds of mercury, but not amalgams, go to heading 2852.
• Amalgams of precious metals go to heading 2843.
• That heading also holds other inorganic compounds not named elsewhere.
• Hydrogen, rare gases and other non-metals sit one heading earlier, in 2804.

HS 2805 buyers and suppliers: search shipment records

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. Start with the import data and export data pages, or go straight to buyer data and supplier data for metals under this heading.