Sección: XV BASE METALS AND ARTICLES OF BASE METAL
Capítulo: 75 Nickel and articles thereof

Chapter 75

Nickel and articles thereof

Note.

1.- In this Chapter the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them :

(a)

Bars and rods

Rolled, extruded, drawn or forged products, not in coils, which have a uniform solid cross-section along their whole length in the shape of circles, ovals, rectangles (including squares), equilateral triangles or regular convex polygons (including “flattened circles” and “modified rectangles”, of which two opposite sides are convex arcs, the other two sides being straight, of equal length and parallel). Products with a rectangular (including square), triangular or polygonal cross-section may have corners rounded along their whole length. The thickness of such products which have a rectangular (including “modified rectangular”) cross-section exceeds one-tenth of the width. The expression also covers cast or sintered products, of the same forms and dimensions, which have been subsequently worked after production (otherwise than by simple trimming or de-scaling), provided that they have not thereby assumed the character of articles or products of other headings.

(b)

Profiles

Rolled, extruded, drawn, forged or formed products, coiled or not, of a uniform cross-section along their whole length, which do not conform to any of the definitions of bars, rods, wire, plates, sheets, strip, foil, tubes or pipes. The expression also covers cast or sintered products, of the same forms, which have been subsequently worked after production (otherwise than by simple trimming or de-scaling), provided that they have not thereby assumed the character of articles or products of other headings.

(c)

Wire

Rolled, extruded or drawn products, in coils, which have a uniform solid cross-section along their whole length in the shape of circles, ovals, rectangles (including squares), equilateral triangles or regular convex polygons (including “flattened circles” and “modified rectangles”, of which two opposite sides are convex arcs, the other two sides being straight, of equal length and parallel). Products with a rectangular (including square), triangular or polygonal cross-section may have corners rounded along their whole length. The thickness of such products which have a rectangular (including “modified rectangular”) cross-section exceeds one-tenth of the width.

(d)

Plates, sheets, strip and foil

Flat-surfaced products (other than the unwrought products of heading

75.02

), coiled or not, of solid rectangular (other than square) cross-section with or without rounded corners (including “modified rectangles” of which two opposite sides are convex arcs, the other two sides being straight, of equal length and parallel) of a uniform thickness, which are :

- of rectangular (including square) shape with a thickness not exceeding one-tenth of the width,

- of a shape other than rectangular or square, of any size, provided that they do not assume the character of articles or products of other headings.

Heading

75.06

applies,

inter alia,

to plates, sheets, strip and foil with patterns (for example, grooves, ribs, chequers, tears, buttons, lozenges) and to such products which have been perforated, corrugated, polished or coated, provided that they do not thereby assume the character of articles or products of other headings.

(e)

Tubes and pipes

Hollow products, coiled or not, which have a uniform cross-section with only one enclosed void along their whole length in the shape of circles, ovals, rectangles (including squares), equilateral triangles or regular convex polygons, and which have a uniform wall thickness. Products with a rectangular (including square), equilateral triangular, or regular convex polygonal cross-section, which may have corners rounded along their whole length, are also to be considered as tubes and pipes provided the inner and outer cross-sections are concentric and have the same form and orientation. Tubes and pipes of the foregoing cross-sections may be polished, coated, bent, threaded, drilled, waisted, expanded, cone-shaped or fitted with flanges, collars or rings.

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Subheading Notes.

1.- In this Chapter the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them:

(a)

Nickel, not alloyed

Metal containing by weight at least 99 % of nickel plus cobalt, provided that :

(i) the cobalt content by weight does not exceed 1.5 %, and

(ii) the content by weight of any other element does not exceed the limit specified in the following table:

TABLE - Other elements

Element	Limiting content % by weight
Fe Iron O Oxygen Other elements, each	0.5 0.4 0.3

(b)

Nickel alloys

Metallic substances in which nickel predominates by weight over each of the other elements provided that:

(i) the content by weight of cobalt exceeds 1.5 %,

(ii) the content by weight of at least one of the other elements is greater than the limit specified in the foregoing table, or

(iii) the total content by weight of elements other than nickel plus cobalt exceeds 1 %.

2.- Notwithstanding the provisions of Chapter Note 1 (c), for the purposes of subheading 7508.10 the term “wire” applies only to products, whether or not in coils, of any cross-sectional shape, of which no cross-sectional dimension exceeds 6 mm.

GENERAL

This Chapter covers nickel and its alloys, and certain articles thereof.

Nickel is a relatively hard, greyish-white metal melting at 1453 ºC. It is ferro-magnetic, malleable, ductile, strong and resistant to corrosion and oxidation.

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Nickel is used mainly in the production of many alloys especially alloy steels, for coating other metals usually by electrodeposition and as a catalyst in many chemical reactions. Unalloyed wrought nickel is also extensively used in the manufacture of chemical plant. In addition nickel and nickel alloys are used for coinage.

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The principal nickel alloys which may fall in this Chapter under the provisions of Note 5 to Section XV include the following:

(1) Nickel-iron alloys. These include materials used in submarine cables, induction coil cores, magnetic shielding, etc., because of their high magnetic permeability and low hysteresis.

(2) Nickel-chromium or nickel-chromium-iron alloys. These include a variety of commercial materials featuring good strength and excellent resistance to oxidation at high temperature and scaling as well as to many corrosive environments. These materials are employed for the heater element in electrical resistance heating devices and are also used for components such as muffles and retorts used in the heat treatment of steels and other metals or in the form of pipe and tubing for high temperature chemical or petrochemical processing. Also in this group are special alloys known as “super alloys” which have been developed specifically for high strength at the elevated temperatures prevailing in aircraft turbines where they are used for turbine blades and vanes, combustion liners, transition sections, etc. Often these alloys contain molybdenum, tungsten, niobium, aluminium, titanium, etc., which are effective in significantly improving the strength of the nickel-base composition.

(3) Nickel-copper alloys. These alloys, which in addition to corrosion resistance have good strength, are used in such applications as propeller shafts and fasteners and are also used in pumps, valves, tubing and other forms of equipment exposed to certain mineral or organic acids or alkalis and salts.

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This Chapter includes:

(A) Nickel mattes, nickel oxide sinters and other intermediate products of nickel metallurgy and unwrought nickel, and nickel waste and scrap (headings 75.01 to 75.03).

(B) Nickel powders and flakes (heading 75.04).

(C) Products generally obtained by rolling, forging, drawing or extruding the unwrought nickel of heading 75.02 (headings 75.05 and 75.06).

(D) Tubes, pipes and fittings (heading 75.07), and electroplating anodes and other articles of heading 75.08, which covers all nickel articles, other than those covered by Note 1 to Section XV or included in Chapter 82 or 83, or more specifically covered elsewhere in the Nomenclature.

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Products and articles of nickel may be subjected to various treatments to improve the properties or appearance of the metal, etc. These treatments are generally those referred to at the end of the General Explanatory Note to Chapter 72, and do not affect the classification of the goods. (See, however, the special case of electroplating anodes (heading 75.08).)

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The classification of composite articles is explained in the General Explanatory Note to Section XV.

75.01 Nickel mattes, nickel oxide sinters and other intermediate products of nickel metallurgy.

7501.10 - Nickel mattes

7501.20 - Nickel oxide sinters and other intermediate products of nickel metallurgy

(1) Nickel mattes.

These mattes are obtained by the processing (roasting, smelting, etc.) of nickel ores and consist, according to the ores and processes employed, of nickel-iron sulphides, nickel-iron-copper sulphides, nickel sulphides or nickel-copper sulphides.

Mattes are usually in the form of cast blocks or slabs (often broken into pieces to facilitate packing or transport), granules or powders (particularly in the case of certain nickel sulphide mattes).

These mattes are used in the production of unwrought nickel.

(2) The other intermediate products of nickel metallurgy.

These include:

(i)

Impure nickel oxides

, e.g., nickel oxide sinters, nickel oxide in powder form (“green nickel oxide”), obtained by the processing of nickeliferous sulphide or oxide ores. These impure oxides are mainly used in the manufacture of alloy steels.

Nickel oxide sinters are usually in the form of powders or in lumps up to 50 mm.

(ii)

Impure ferro-nickel

which, because of its high content of sulphur (0.5 % or more), phosphorus and other impurities, cannot be used as an alloying product in the steel industry without prior refining.

Refined ferro-nickel

is used almost solely in the steel industry to provide the nickel necessary for the manufacture of certain special steels; it is therefore classified as a ferro-alloy in

heading

72.02

, subject to the provisions of Note 1 (c) to Chapter 72.

(iii)

Nickel speiss

, i.e., a lumpy mixture of arsenides; it is not now of great commercial importance.

75.02 Unwrought nickel.

7502.10 - Nickel, not alloyed

7502.20 - Nickel alloys

Unwrought nickel is usually in the form of ingots, pigs, pellets, flats, cubes, rondelles, briquettes, shots, cathodes or other electrodeposited shapes. These primary forms are mainly used as an additive in the manufacture of alloy steels and non-ferrous alloys and in the production of certain chemicals. Some of the forms are used in titanium baskets for nickel plating, or for the production of nickel powder.

Unrefined nickel is normally cast into anodes for refining by electrolysis. The anodes of this heading are usually in the form of slabs cast with two lugs for suspending them in the electrolytic refining tank. They should not be confused with anodes for electroplating described in the Explanatory Note to heading 75.08.

Cathodes are plates obtained by electrolytic deposition onto “starting sheets” of refined nickel to which two nickel loops have been attached for suspending them in the electrolytic refining tank. As the deposit of refined nickel builds up, the “starting sheets” become an integral and inseparable part of the cathodes.

Untrimmed cathodes are usually shipped without removing these loops, which often carry a growth of deposited nickel at the weld and should not be confused with the suspension hooks fitted to certain electroplating anodes. Untrimmed cathodes are also generally larger in size (approximately 96 x 71 x 1.25 cm) than electroplating anodes in sheet form which rarely exceed a width of 30.5 cm.

Cathodes which have been merely trimmed or cut into strips or small rectangular pieces remain classified in the heading irrespective of their size or the purpose for which they may be used. They can be distinguished from electroplating anodes of heading 75.08 by the fact that they are not fitted with suspension hooks or prepared (e.g., by piercing or tapping) for hooks.

This heading also excludes nickel powders and flakes (heading 75.04).

75.03 Nickel waste and scrap.

The provisions concerning waste and scrap in the Explanatory Note to heading 72.04 apply, mutatis mutandis, to this heading.

This heading excludes:

(a) Slag, ash and residues from the manufacture of nickel (heading 26.20).

(b) Ingots and similar unwrought forms cast from remelted nickel waste and scrap (heading 75.02).

75.04 - Nickel powders and flakes.

This heading covers nickel powders and flakes of all types, regardless of their intended use. Powders are defined in Note 8 (b) to Section XV.

Depending on their physical characteristics, the powders and flakes are used in the unalloyed state in plates for nickel-cadmium batteries, in the manufacture of nickel sulphate, nickel chloride and other nickel salts, as binding agents for metal carbides, for the production of nickel alloys (e.g., alloy steels) or as catalysts.

They are also used either in the pure state or alloyed or mixed with other metallic powders (e.g., iron powders), for compacting and sintering into technical articles such as magnets and for direct rolling into sheets, strip and foil.

This heading excludes nickel oxide sinters (heading 75.01).

75.05 Nickel bars, rods, profiles and wire.

- Bars, rods and profiles:

7505.11 - - Of nickel, not alloyed

7505.12 - - Of nickel alloys

- Wire:

7505.21 - - Of nickel, not alloyed

7505.22 - - Of nickel alloys

These products, which are defined in Chapter Notes 1 (a), 1 (b) and 1 (c), correspond to similar goods of copper, except for the special provision for electroplating anodes (see the Explanatory Note to heading 75.08). Subject to this exception, the provisions of the Explanatory Notes to headings 74.07 and 74.08 apply, mutatis mutandis, to this heading.

The heading does not cover:

(a) Metallised yarn (heading 56.05).

(b) Bars, rods or profiles, prepared for use in structures (heading 75.08).

(c) Insulated electric bars (commonly known as “busbars” and wire (including enamelled wire) (heading 85.44).

75.06 Nickel plates, sheets, strip and foil.

7506.10 - Of nickel, not alloyed

7506.20 - Of nickel alloys

This heading covers plates, sheets, strip and foil which are defined in Chapter Note 1 (d); these products correspond to the copper products described in the Explanatory Notes to headings 74.09 and 74.10.

Plates and sheets may be used to clad iron or steel by welding, rolling, etc., and for the construction of equipment used, in particular, in the chemical industry.
This heading excludes expanded metal (heading 75.08).

75.07 Nickel tubes, pipes and tube or pipe fittings (for example, couplings, elbows, sleeves).

- Tubes and pipes:

7507.11 - - Of nickel, not alloyed

7507.12 - - Of nickel alloys

7507.20 - Tube or pipe fittings

Chapter Note 1 (e) defines tubes and pipes.

The provisions of the Explanatory Notes to headings 73.04 to 73.07 apply, mutatis mutandis, to this heading.

Because of their resistance to corrosion (by acids, steam, etc.), tubes, pipes and fittings of nickel or of nickel alloys are used in apparatus for the chemical, food, papermaking industries, etc., in the manufacture of steam condensers, hypodermic needles, etc.

This heading excludes:

(a) Hollow profiles (heading 75.05).

(b) Nickel bolts and nuts used for assembling or fixing pipes, etc. (heading 75.08).

(c) Fittings with taps, cocks, valves, etc. (heading 84.81).

(d) Tubes, pipes and tube or pipe fittings made up into specific identifiable articles, e.g., machinery parts (Section XVI).

75.08 Oher articles of nickel.

7508.10 - Cloth, grill and netting, of nickel wire

7508.90 - Other

(A) ELECTROPLATING ANODES INCLUDING THOSE
PRODUCED BY ELECTROLYSIS

This group covers refined nickel anodes for electroplating by electrolytic deposition. They may be cast, rolled, drawn, extruded or may be made from cathodes or other electrodeposited shapes of heading 75.02. These anodes are either:

(1) in special shapes (stars, rings, particular profiles) to give the maximum anode surface suited to the articles to be plated, and in the case of bar anodes (which are usually of oval, elliptical, rhomboidal or diamond shaped cross-section) in the length appropriate for use as anodes; or

(2) in the form of plates (flat or curved), strip, sheets, discs (flat or corrugated), hemispheres or balls. To be classified in this heading these articles must have features identifying them as electroplating anodes, i.e., they must be fitted with hooks for suspending them in the electroplating tank or be prepared for hooks (e.g., by threading, piercing or tapping).

These anodes are usually of a high degree of purity. Small amounts of certain elements may, however, remain after the production process or be added deliberately, in order, e.g., to depolarise the anodes to ensure even attack over the whole surface and avoid loss of nickel through formation of sludge. These characteristics, together with the identifying features mentioned above, distinguish electroplating anodes from the cast anodes for electrolytic refining referred to in the second paragraph of the Explanatory Note to heading 75.02, which are excluded from this heading.

These conventional anodes for nickel-plating are, however, being more and more frequently replaced by basket anodes, i.e. unwrought forms such as nickel rondelles in titanium baskets (see the Explanatory Note to heading 75.02).

This heading also excludes the following, whether or not intended for use in nickel-plating or conversion into electroplating anodes:

(a) Plates (cathodes) obtained simply by electrolysis, untrimmed or trimmed, or cut into strips or small rectangular pieces, but not further worked (heading 75.02).

(b) Pellets, unwrought (heading 75.02).

(c) Bars simply cast, rolled or extruded, not complying with the requirements as to shape, length, or working referred to above (heading 75.02 or 75.05).

(d) Plates, simply rolled (heading 75.06).

(B) OTHER

This group covers all articles of nickel other than those covered by the preceding group or by the preceding headings of this Chapter or by Note 1 to Section XV, or articles specified or included in Chapter 82 or 83, or more specifically covered elsewhere in the Nomenclature.

The group covers, inter alia:

(1) Structures such as window frames, and fabricated parts of structures.

(2) Reservoirs, vats and similar containers, of any capacity, not fitted with mechanical or thermal equipment.

(3) Cloth, grill and netting of nickel wire, and expanded metal, of nickel.

(4) Nickel nails, tacks, nuts, bolts, screws and other articles of the types described in the Explanatory Notes to headings 73.17 and 73.18.

(5) Springs other than clock or watch springs of heading 91.14.

(6) Household articles and sanitary ware, and parts thereof.

(7) Blanks for coinage, in the form of nickel discs with raised edges.

(8) Nickel articles corresponding to the iron or steel articles referred to in the Explanatory Notes to headings 73.25 and 73.26.

ULTIMO CAMBIO D.O.F.