Analysis
HTS 7903.10.00 covers zinc dust, powders and flakes: zinc dust under heading 7903 (zinc dust, powders and flakes).
The general rate is 0.7¢/kg, a specific or compound duty rather than a simple percentage, so the effective burden depends on the unit value of the goods: cheap goods pay proportionally more than expensive ones. Importers usually convert it to an ad valorem equivalent to compare it with other lines.
Goods that qualify under GSP, the Australia FTA, the Bahrain FTA, the Chile FTA, the Colombia TPA, and 12 others can enter duty-free instead of paying 0.7¢/kg. It is also eligible under GSP, the developing-country programme, which Congress has to renew; check whether GSP is in force on the entry date.
The other lines in the same group are 7903.90.30 (other: powders, 0.5¢/kg) and 7903.90.60 (other: other, 3%).
Census statistics map these goods to NAICS 331410 (Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Smelting and Refining), an industry of 112 US establishments employing 8,755 people. That is the industry code a US manufacturer of the same product would normally use.
Neighbouring lines
| Line | Description | General rate |
|---|---|---|
| 7903.90.30 | Other: powders | 0.5¢/kg |
| 7903.90.60 | Other: other | 3% |