HTS Chapter 26: Ores, slag and ash
HTS Chapter 26 covers Ores, slag and ash. Browse 8 published headings, then narrow to the active product line that matches the goods.
2026 HTS Rev 19 Synced Rules verified Operational
Written to help non-specialists understand this page. Rates, dates, and legal facts come from the official records above and on the linked source.
HTS Chapter 26 covers mineral materials such as ores and concentrates, as well as certain slag, ash, and residues containing metals or their compounds. Representative headings include iron ores (2601), uranium or thorium ores (2612), molybdenum ores (2613), specified nonferrous-metal ores (2615), precious-metal ores (2616), other ores and concentrates (2617), and certain metal-bearing slag, ash, and residues (2620 and 2621). The product’s physical composition and processing generally matter more than how it will be used or marketed.
The HTS is organized from broad to specific: a chapter identifies a product group, a heading provides a four-digit category, a subheading adds detail at six digits, and the complete 10-digit code supplies the U.S. statistical and tariff classification. To classify a product, identify the material, mineral or metal content, degree of processing, and whether it is an ore, concentrate, slag, ash, or residue. Then read the relevant heading and subheading text together with the General Rules of Interpretation, Chapter 26 notes, and any referenced section or chapter exclusions. Laboratory specifications, assay results, processing descriptions, and technical literature may be needed; a customs broker or ruling request may be appropriate when the classification is uncertain.
What to check
- Identify the product’s exact composition, assay, form, and processing history; do not classify it solely by its commercial name or intended use.
- Compare the product with the legal heading and subheading language, and check Chapter 26 notes plus exclusions in other chapters, especially for manufactured metal products, waste, chemicals, or specially controlled materials.
- Confirm whether the material is an ore, concentrate, slag, ash, or residue and document how that description is supported by technical records.
- Review all six-digit and 10-digit options, including statistical suffixes, and verify the current HTS entry and any required units of quantity.
- Check the HTS and applicable Chapter 99 provisions for additional duties or trade measures, and separately confirm import permits, hazardous-material rules, and controls that may apply.
How to use this chapter
A chapter is the first classification level, not a duty rate. Choose the heading that describes the product, narrow by material, construction, use, or other legal distinctions, and verify the final line against the official HTS notes.
Heading list
| HTS code | Description | Linked 8-digit entries |
|---|---|---|
| 2601 | Iron ores and concentrates, including roasted iron pyrites: | 2 |
| 2612 | Uranium or thorium ores and concentrates: | 0 |
| 2613 | Molybdenum ores and concentrates: | 0 |
| 2615 | Niobium (columbium), tantalum, vanadium or zirconium ores and concentrates: | 0 |
| 2616 | Precious metal ores and concentrates: | 2 |
| 2617 | Other ores and concentrates: | 1 |
| 2620 | Slag, ash and residues (other than from the manufacture of iron or steel), containing arsenic, metals or their compounds: | 4 |
| 2621 | Other slag and ash, including seaweed ash (kelp); ash and residues from the incineration of municipal waste: | 0 |
Linked measures
0 linked measure entries in the current snapshot.
Questions about HTS Chapter 26
What does HTS Chapter 26 cover?
HTS Chapter 26 covers Ores, slag and ash. This page groups the chapter’s 4-digit headings; a shipment still needs the most specific active 8- or 10-digit line supported by the product facts.
Is HTS Chapter 26 a final product classification?
No. A chapter is a broad 2-digit category. Narrow it to the applicable heading and the most specific active statistical line before estimating duty or filing an entry.