Antimony Ore HS Code and Export Documents: A Buyer's Checklist for Importing from Pakistan

The HS code for antimony ore is 2617.10. That's the subheading under the Harmonized System for antimony ores and concentrates, and it's the one your customs broker will use at import. Get this right and most of the paperwork follows a predictable path.

But the code is only the start. If you're buying crushed antimony ore out of Pakistan, you need to know which documents you'll actually receive, what each one is for, and where a shipment usually gets held up. So here's the full picture.

What HS code applies to antimony ore?

Antimony ores and concentrates sit under HS 2617.10 in the international Harmonized System. The first six digits are standard worldwide. Your own country adds the last few digits for its national tariff schedule — China, the EU, India and the Gulf states each extend the code differently, so confirm the full import classification with your broker before you book.

A quick note on wording. GBX sells crushed ore, not flotation concentrate. The HS heading covers both "ores and concentrates," so 2617.10 still applies — but your documents should describe the goods accurately as crushed antimony ore. Mislabelling ore as concentrate (or the reverse) is the kind of small mistake that triggers a customs query.

And don't confuse the ore code with downstream products. Antimony metal, antimony trioxide and other compounds have their own HS codes entirely. If you're an antimony trioxide producer buying feed, you import under 2617.10 and your finished product leaves under a different one.

The export documents you should receive from a Pakistan supplier

For a normal FOB or CFR shipment of antimony ore out of Karachi, here's the document set you should expect. Some are issued by the supplier, some by third parties, some by Pakistani authorities.

At GBX each lot is sampled and analysed by SGS Pakistan, and the ore is sold against that SGS certificate of analysis. You can read how that works on the antimony ore page. You're also free to test a sample in your own lab and to appoint SGS or your own inspector at loading — more on that below.

One thing to settle early: who holds the original bill of lading and how it's released. Telex release, original B/L by courier, or against a letter of credit — agree the mechanism before loading, not after.

What to check in the assay before you pay

Antimony ore is priced on contained antimony (Sb), so the assay is the heart of the deal. Read it line by line.

• Sb percentage. The headline grade. This is what the price is built on.
• Penalty elements. For antimony, smelters and trioxide producers watch arsenic (As) above all. High arsenic can mean deductions or rejection. Lead, sulphur and other impurities may carry penalties depending on your buyer's spec.
• Moisture. Ore is usually priced dry. Check whether the certificate reports moisture and whether weight is adjusted for it.
• Size range. GBX crushes to the buyer's size range, so confirm the certificate and spec match what you ordered.
• Sampling method. A certificate means more when the sampling was done to a recognised protocol. Ask how the lot was sampled and reduced.

Here's the thing — a certificate of analysis tells you the grade of the sample that was drawn. Whether that sample represents the whole lot comes down to sampling. That's exactly why most serious buyers either accept SGS at loading or send their own inspector.

How to handle inspection and sampling at loading

You've got three routes, and they're not mutually exclusive.

First, rely on the SGS Pakistan certificate the ore is sold against. That's the baseline.

Second, test your own sample. Buyers can pull a sample and run it in their own laboratory before committing. Good practice if you're new to a supplier.

Third, appoint an inspector at loading — SGS or your own. They witness sampling, confirm weight, and in some contracts draw sealed samples for umpire analysis if there's ever a dispute over grade.

For a first shipment, honestly, I'd use an independent inspector at the port even if it adds cost. It removes the argument before it can start. On repeat business with a known counterparty, many buyers scale back to the certificate plus a spot check.

Common mistakes that hold up an antimony ore shipment

Most delays aren't exotic. They're small and avoidable.

• Wrong or incomplete HS code on the import declaration, so the broker can't classify the goods.
• Invoice description that doesn't match the certificate — different grade, different size, different product wording.
• Missing certificate of origin for a country where it affects duty.
• B/L release mechanism not agreed, so the cargo arrives but you can't take delivery.
• Assuming concentrate when the goods are crushed ore (or vice versa) in the paperwork.
• No agreed umpire clause on grade, so a small assay gap turns into a standoff.

And a practical one: confirm your own country's import licensing and any restrictions on antimony before you order. Rules differ by destination and they change. Check with your customs authority — don't take a supplier's word for your import side.

How to place an order and confirm availability

Antimony ore from GBX is supplied to order. Availability and the shipment window are confirmed on enquiry, so start by telling us your target size range, the grade and penalty-element spec you need, your destination port and whether you want FOB Karachi or CFR.

From there you'll get an offer, a sample arrangement if you want one, and the document set above against each lot.

To move forward, request a quote on the antimony ore page or message us on WhatsApp at +92 300 3644444 with your spec and destination.