Cobalt HS Codes
Cobalt arrives mainly as metallurgical intermediates (8105.20) from the DRC, not as refined metal.
Trade volumes cover Jul 2025 – Jun 2026, from China customs official statistics.
Full cobalt HS code list
Six-digit codes are the WCO international standard and identical worldwide. Tonnage is China’s actual customs-recorded trade for each code.
| HS code | Description | Imports | Exports | MFN duty | Import status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2605.00 | Cobalt ores and concentrates | 329 t$1m | —$0k | — | — |
| 8105.203 CN subheadings | Cobalt mattes and other intermediate products of cobalt metallurgy; cobalt powders; unwrought cobaltCobalt intermediates from the DRC make up the bulk of imports | 78.0 kt$1.34bn | 7.5 kt$317m | — | — |
| 8105.30 | Cobalt waste and scrap | — | 77 t$1m | — | — |
| 8105.90 | Other articles of cobalt | 795 t$72m | 376 t$25m | — | — |
MFN rates are shown only where we have verified them; a dash means we have not confirmed the current rate, not that the rate is zero. Duty and regulatory status change — confirm against the current tariff schedule or a licensed broker before you declare.
Cobalt scrap HS code
Check the current regulatory conditions before shipping.
Six digits, eight digits, ten digits
The first six digits are the WCO Harmonized System and are the same in every member country. That is the number you quote to a counterparty abroad, and it is what this page lists.
China then extends each subheading to eight digits in its own tariff schedule, and to ten digits for the statistical code actually written on a customs declaration. The extension is not cosmetic: a single HS6 can split into codes with different duty rates and different regulatory conditions.
A worked example worth remembering — refined copper cathode is HS 7403.11 internationally, but 7403.11.00 does not exist in the Chinese schedule. The real codes are 7403.11.11, 7403.11.19 and 7403.11.90. Quoting a code you derived by appending zeros will return nothing at customs, silently.
Sourcing cobalt
Looking up a code usually means there is a shipment behind it. Guilin Metals lists verified Chinese suppliers, recyclers and traders by metal and by region, alongside live prices and monthly trade statistics.
HS codes for other metals
Classification guidance on this page is informational. Binding classification is the responsibility of the declarant; consult a licensed customs broker for shipments. Largest import line over Jul 2025 – Jun 2026: HS 8105.20, 78.0 kt.