HS Code 26.14 – Titanium ores and concentrates

HS code 2614 is a 4-digit heading in the Harmonized System that covers: Titanium ores and concentrates. Heading 2614 specifically covers Titanium ores and concentrates, essential raw materials for a wide array of industrial applications. This classification encompasses naturally occurring titanium-bearing minerals such as ilmenite, rutile, and leucoxene, as well as their concentrated forms. Ilmenite (FeTiO3) is the most abundant titanium mineral, while rutile (TiO2) is a purer form. Leucoxene is an alteration product of ilmenite, also rich in titanium. The scope extends from crude ore extracted from mines to concentrates produced through physical beneficiation processes like gravity separation, magnetic separation, and electrostatic separation, which increase the titanium dioxide (TiO2) content. These processes do not involve chemical transformation beyond what's necessary for physical separation. This classification is critical for trade compliance, impacting tariffs, import/export regulations, and environmental assessments related to mining and processing. Titanium is highly valued for its high strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance, and its use in producing titanium dioxide pigment, a key ingredient in paints, plastics, and paper. Historically, the demand for titanium ores has been closely linked to the growth of the aerospace, defense, and pigment industries. As part of Chapter 26, this heading clearly differentiates these raw mineral products from refined titanium metals (Chapter 81) or titanium chemical compounds (Chapter 28), emphasizing the chapter's focus on unrefined metallic ores and concentrates.

Ilmenite ore, rutile ore, leucoxene ore, ilmenite concentrate, rutile concentrate, leucoxene concentrate, high-grade ilmenite, synthetic rutile (if directly from ore processing without chemical change), titanium-bearing sand, mineral sands concentrate (titanium rich), beneficiated ilmenite, primary rutile, titanium slag (if directly concentrated from ore), fine ilmenite concentrate, coarse rutile concentrate, beach sand ilmenite, hard rock rutile, dredge-mined ilmenite, dry-milled ilmenite, gravity-separated rutile, magnetic-separated ilmenite, electrostatic-separated rutile, mineral processing tailings concentrate (titanium rich), titanium minerals, unrefined titanium ore.

A common mistake involves confusing titanium ores and concentrates with refined titanium metals (HS 8108) or titanium oxides (HS 2823). Traders might misclassify synthetic rutile or highly beneficiated ilmenite as a chemical compound or even a metal if not careful about the degree of chemical alteration. HS 8108 covers unwrought titanium, waste, and scrap, representing a significantly more processed and purified form than ores. HS 2823 specifically covers titanium oxides (like pure TiO2 pigment), which are chemical products derived from further processing of concentrates, not the concentrates themselves. The distinction lies in whether the product is a natural mineral or mechanically enriched mineral (2614) versus a chemically transformed product or refined metal.

In 2025, the top exporters of HS code 2614 in UN Comtrade data were South Africa ($449M, 25% of world exports), Mozambique ($283M) and Sierra Leone (about $188M). World exports came to about $1.8B, adding countries' reported figures and partner-based estimates for those that did not report (UN Comtrade data). Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.

In 2025, the top importers of HS code 2614 in UN Comtrade data were China ($1.4B, 43% of world imports), the United States ($424M) and Japan ($245M). World imports came to about $3.1B, adding countries' reported figures and partner-based estimates for those that did not report (UN Comtrade data). Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.

HS code 2614 is a 4-digit heading under Chapter 26 of the Harmonized System. The first 2 digits (26) identify the chapter, and digits 3-4 (14) specify the heading. This code contains multiple 6-digit subheadings for precise product classification.