HS 740311 · Refined copper cathodes
Get the code right at quotation time, not at customs.
Misclassifying HS 740311 on the commercial invoice walks the cargo into the wrong duty rate, the wrong rebate column, and a customs hold that costs days of demurrage to clear. This page gives you the WCO heading, the product it most often covers, the China VAT export rebate rate, the US Section 301 status, the supplier provinces that ship it, and practitioner buying notes for first-time importers.
For an explanation of how the WCO Harmonized System is structured, what each digit means, and why misclassification is the most common landed-cost error first-time buyers make, see the HS code glossary entry.
Key facts
The numbers a buyer needs at the quotation stage. Verify each against the live source before invoicing; rates and rebate columns move.
| WCO heading | Refined copper cathodes |
|---|---|
| Chapter | 74, Copper and articles thereof |
| Industry segment | Aluminium and copper |
| Chinese name | 精炼铜阴极 |
| China VAT export rebate | 0% Source: China State Taxation Administration (国家税务总局), 2025 schedule. Subject to change. |
| US Section 301 | 25% Source: USTR Section 301 List 1 / 2 / 3 / 4. Verify against the current schedule. |
| Major Chinese supplier provinces | Anhui, Yunnan, Jiangxi |
Buying notes
Cathode copper at 99.99% Cu (LME Grade A). Tongling (Anhui), Yunnan Copper, and Jiangxi Copper run the bulk of Chinese refining capacity. Section 301 25% on US import. Pricing follows LME plus a regional Yangshan or Shanghai premium; the China copper market is famously hedged through SHFE and LME options, so price negotiation is short-window and active during the morning Asian session. Specify LME Grade A registered-brand or non-registered (Chinese non-LME-registered cathode trades $50 to $150 per tonne under registered brands).
Common end uses
The applications that drive most of the global tonnage under this code.
- Copper-wire rod (electrical, telecom)
- Copper tube (HVAC, plumbing, refrigeration)
- Brass and bronze alloy production
- EV motor windings and battery foils
- Construction wiring and cable manufacture
Where to read next
For the structure of the HS / Harmonized System, what each digit means, and why misclassification costs landed-cost margin, see the HS code glossary entry.
Need a quote on this code? Send us the HS code, the destination port, and the tonnage and we will quote FOB China and CIF / DDP landed including the current Section 301 and rebate position.
Read next
Other codes in the same chapter and the references behind them
CAS
CAS 7440-50-8 Copper
Bulk metal commodity. Cathode at 99.99% min Cu (LME Grade A) is the exchange-traded standard. Ships in cathodes, wire rod, or billets. Chine
HS Code
HS 761010 Aluminium doors and windows
Chapter 76, Aluminium doors and windows. China VAT rebate 13%.
HS Code
HS 761090 Other aluminium structures
Chapter 76, Other aluminium structures. China VAT rebate 13%.
HS Code
HS 761699 Other aluminium articles
Chapter 76, Other aluminium articles. China VAT rebate 13%.
Glossary
HS Code, Harmonized System Code
A six-digit international product classification code used by customs authorities worldwide to identify goods, assess duties, and apply trade controls. Countries extend the six-digit base with additional digits for tariff and statistical purposes (10-digit HTS in the US, 8-digit CN code in the EU, 10-digit AHECC in Australia).
Glossary
Section 301, Section 301 Tariffs
Additional tariffs imposed by the United States on Chinese-origin goods under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. The current List 1, 2, 3, and 4A tariffs add 7.5 to 25 percent on top of the standard MFN duty rate, applied at HS-code level.
Free download
Free PDF: thirty-point factory audit checklist used on every chemical-park site visit, mapped against the HS-code-leading Chinese producers.