Product classification

HS code for Activated minerals: 3802.90

Chemical products, activated natural mineral products, animal black, including spent animal black.

Classification of activated minerals under HS 3802.90

Activated minerals are classified under HS code 380290 due to their nature as "activated natural mineral products." This classification falls within Chapter 38, which covers miscellaneous chemical products. The key differentiator for this heading is the "activated" status, meaning these natural minerals have undergone specific physical or chemical treatments to enhance their adsorptive, catalytic, or other functional properties. This activation process transforms raw minerals, typically found in Chapter 25 (Salt; sulphur; earths and stone; plastering materials, lime and cement), into more specialized chemical products. The heading also includes animal black, which is a carbonaceous material derived from animal bones and activated for similar purposes. The activation process is crucial, as it imparts new characteristics that make these minerals suitable for various industrial applications, such as purification, decolorization, and catalysis, moving them beyond their raw mineral state.

Covers
  • Activated bentonite
  • Activated alumina (not chemically defined as separate compounds)
  • Activated fullers earth
  • Activated bleaching earths
  • Animal black (including spent animal black)
Also under 3802.90
  • Calgon Carbon (activated carbon)
  • Cabot Corporation (carbon black)
  • Clariant (bleaching earths)
  • BASF (adsorbents)
  • Arkema (molecular sieves)

Codes often confused with 3802.90

Common mistake. Common misclassifications for activated minerals often arise from confusion with their raw, unactivated counterparts or with other forms of activated carbon. For instance, unactivated bentonite would be classified under HS code 250810 ("Bentonite, whether or not calcined"). Similarly, raw diatomite or kaolin, even if processed but not "activated" to significantly enhance their adsorptive properties, would remain in Chapter 25. A significant point of confusion is with HS code 380210, which specifically covers "Activated carbon." While activated carbon is a type of activated material, 380290 is reserved for *other* activated natural mineral products and animal black, meaning activated carbon derived from non-mineral sources (e.g., wood, coconut shells) or specifically identified as activated carbon, falls under 380210. The distinction lies in the specific type of activated material.

2508.10Clays (excluding expanded clays of heading no. 6806); bentonite, whether or not calcined3802.10Carbon; activated

Top exporters and importers of HS 380290 (the code used for activated minerals), 2025

In 2025, the largest exporter of HS 380290 (the code used for activated minerals) in UN Comtrade data was the United States, with 11% of world exports; the largest importer in UN Comtrade data was Germany, with 9.0% of world imports. Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.

Figures cover everything classified under HS 380290, not only activated minerals.

Top exporters 2025 · share of world exports

  1. 1 United States $105M
  2. 2 Germany $102M
  3. 3 Greece $102M

World total: $917M Reported figures on UN Comtrade ↗

Top importers 2025 · share of world imports

  1. 1 Germany $89M
  2. 2 Thailand $81M
  3. 3 United States $63M

World total: $988M Reported figures on UN Comtrade ↗

How these figures are built

109 countries reported 2025 trade to UN Comtrade in HS 2022, and their own totals are used. Countries that did not report are estimated from what other countries recorded trading with them. Those estimates miss trade with other non-reporting countries, so they can be low, and a non-reporting country can rank higher than shown or be missing from the list. World totals add both and leave out trade between two non-reporting countries. Figures are in current US dollars; reported imports are mostly valued CIF and exports FOB, and exports include re-exports. The UN Comtrade links show the underlying records; they can also list a few reporters left out here (regional groups and older HS editions).

Source: UN Comtrade (United Nations Statistics Division), 2025 annual data.

Brazil NCM codes for activated minerals

Brazil splits HS 3802.90 into 6 NCM codes. Pick the one that matches your product:

Source: Siscomex NCM table, updated Oct 2026. The Portuguese text on each NCM page is the official one.

Questions about activated minerals

What is the HS code for Activated minerals?

The HS code for Activated minerals is 380290 (Chemical products; activated natural mineral products, animal black, including spent animal black). The HS code for activated minerals, including activated natural mineral products and animal black, is 380290.

How do I classify Activated minerals for customs?

Activated minerals is classified under HS code 380290 — Chemical products; activated natural mineral products, animal black, including spent animal black. This is a 6-digit subheading level code.

What is the difference between activated and non-activated minerals for classification?

The distinction lies in the processing and enhanced properties. Non-activated minerals are typically classified in Chapter 25 as raw materials. Activated minerals, having undergone specific treatments to significantly improve their adsorptive, catalytic, or other functional characteristics, are considered more specialized chemical products and are classified under Chapter 38.

Which countries are the top exporters of activated minerals (HS 380290)?

In 2025, the top exporters of HS 380290 (the code used for activated minerals) in UN Comtrade data were the United States ($105M, 11% of world exports), Germany ($102M) and Greece ($102M). World exports came to about $917M, 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.

Which countries are the top importers of activated minerals (HS 380290)?

In 2025, the top importers of HS 380290 (the code used for activated minerals) in UN Comtrade data were Germany ($89M, 9.0% of world imports), Thailand ($81M) and the United States ($63M). World imports came to about $988M, 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.

Is the HS code for Activated minerals the same in all countries?

The base HS code 380290 for Activated minerals is internationally standardized for the first 6 digits across 200+ countries. Individual countries may add additional digits for national tariff lines and specific classifications.

What is the NCM code for activated minerals in Brazil?

Brazil splits HS 380290 into 6 NCM codes, so the right one for activated minerals depends on the product's details: 3802.90.10 (Activated siliceous fossil meals), 3802.90.20 (Activated bentonite), 3802.90.30 (Activated attapulgite), 3802.90.40 (Other activated clays and earths), 3802.90.50 (Activated bauxite), 3802.90.90 (Other activated minerals; animal black).