What is the tonnage threshold for K-REACH on aluminium oxide (alumina)?

K-REACH registration required for existing chemicals manufactured or imported >1 tonne/year (verified per Korean Ministry of Environment / NIER guidance, https://chemical.chemlinked.com/chempedia/k-reach; threshold for new substances was reduced from 0.1 t/y to 1 t/y effective 1 January 2025 per K-REACH 2025 amendment)

CAS 1344-28-1 · K-REACH · Republic of Korea

Aluminium oxide (alumina) under K-REACH

Al2O3 · 氧化铝

Status: Registered. Aluminium oxide is registered under K-REACH. NOT on Korea TCCA Toxic Chemicals list (verify against the current TCCA Toxic Chemicals list at https://www.nics.go.kr/ before relying). NOT on Korean Drug Management Act precursor list. NO active Korean AD/CVD case on Chinese-origin aluminium oxide currently (verify against https://www.kita.org/ or Korea Trade Commission filings before invoicing). Korea has no domestic bauxite reserves and limited domestic Bayer-process alumina capacity; structurally net-importer for smelter-grade alumina (Korea Zinc and Korea Aluminum smelters) plus specialty alumina, with significant import dependency on Chinese plus Australian alumina. KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies for Chinese-origin imports.

K-REACH treats aluminium oxide as a routine registered substance with no TCCA overlay. Korea no domestic bauxite reserves; structurally net-importer with Chinese + Australian alumina dependency. NO active Korean AD/CVD case. **Aluminium oxide distinguishing pattern across all 5 regimes**: Bayer-process production from bauxite dominant globally (~95% of capacity) + smelter-grade alumina (SGA ~90% of consumption) for aluminium electrolysis (Hall-Heroult cells) and specialty / non-metallurgical alumina (~10%) for refractory + ceramic + abrasive + catalyst-support + polishing + flame-retardant downstream chains + completes refractory-oxide chain alongside CaO batch 67 plus MgO batch 70 (Al2O3 + CaO + MgO joint refractory chemistry, MA spinel + CMA cement) + low hazard profile across regimes (respirable dust handling) + multiple active AD/CVD measures on downstream Chinese aluminium products (US Aluminum Foil A-570-053 + Extrusions A-570-967 + Common Alloy Sheet A-570-073 + Wire and Cable A-570-095, plus EU Foil + Extrusions + Road Wheels + Flat-Rolled) + EU CBAM Phase 1 covers downstream aluminium products + Chinese aluminium primary production capacity-cap policy under NDRC dual-control framework + Australia structurally net-EXPORTER of primary alumina (Alcoa + Rio Tinto + South32 refineries world-scale).

Listing and threshold

Substance	Aluminium oxide (alumina) (CAS 1344-28-1), Al2O3
Regime	Korea Act on the Registration and Evaluation of Chemicals (Act No. 11789, "K-REACH" amended 2018)
Jurisdiction	Republic of Korea
Status	Registered
Tonnage threshold	K-REACH registration required for existing chemicals manufactured or imported >1 tonne/year (verified per Korean Ministry of Environment / NIER guidance, https://chemical.chemlinked.com/chempedia/k-reach; threshold for new substances was reduced from 0.1 t/y to 1 t/y effective 1 January 2025 per K-REACH 2025 amendment)

Classifications under this regime

Korean GHS classification: NOT typically classified as hazardous beyond particulate dust
NOT on Korea TCCA Toxic Chemicals list
NOT on Korean Drug Management Act precursor list
Korean Customs Service (KCS) HS code: 281820 or 281810
IARC: Not classified for aluminium oxide itself (occupational exposures during aluminium production overall are Group 1 per Volume 100F; verify against monographs.iarc.who.int)

Restrictions and conditions of use

No TCCA Toxic Chemicals Handling Permit required
KOSHA MSDS in Korean required at workplace (low hazard, respirable dust applies)
NO active Korean AD/CVD case on Chinese aluminium oxide currently
KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies (HS 281820 / 281810)

Importer obligations

Korean importer of record must hold K-REACH registration. Korea has no domestic bauxite reserves and limited domestic Bayer-process alumina capacity; structurally net-importer with significant import dependency on Chinese and Australian alumina.

Required documents

K-REACH registration number on Korean side
Korean MSDS (with respirable particulate dust handling notes)
KCS declaration with HS 281820 / 281810
China-Korea FTA Form CO

Common compliance traps

The pitfalls that have bitten importers on this lane in the past. None of these is theoretical.

Korea has no domestic bauxite reserves; structurally net-importer with Chinese + Australian alumina dependency
KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies
NO active Korean AD/CVD case
NOT on TCCA Toxic Chemicals list

Where to read next

For substance-level identifiers (formula, molecular weight, SMILES, InChIKey), GHS hazard profile, IMDG transport class, and full sourcing reference for aluminium oxide (alumina), see the CAS 1344-28-1 sourcing reference.

For grade-by-grade buying notes, freight maths, supplier-tier pricing, and a worked landed-cost example, the aluminium oxide (alumina) cornerstone hub covers the full sourcing chain.

For the structure and history of K-REACH, see the K-REACH glossary entry.

Need cross-jurisdiction compliance support on this substance? Run it through the REACH / TSCA / IECSC / AICIS / K-REACH checker, or send us the substance and the destination and we will quote FOB China and CIF / DDP landed including the regulatory work on the destination side.

Cross-jurisdiction profile and sourcing references

Referenced in

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