2506.10.00 - Quartz

This HTS category, 2506.10.00, encompasses quartz in its various forms, excluding natural sands. This includes quartz that has been naturally occurring but is not in its raw sand form. The material can be further processed, such as being roughly trimmed or cut into blocks or slabs of a rectangular shape, either through sawing or other methods, without altering its fundamental classification as quartz.

It is crucial to distinguish this classification from its sibling category, 2506.20.00, which specifically covers quartzite. While both are silicon dioxide-based minerals, this heading is for the mineral quartz itself, whereas 2506.20.00 is reserved for quartzite, a metamorphic rock formed from sandstone. The primary distinction lies in the geological origin and formation process, though both are derived from silicon dioxide.

Within this category for quartz, two subcategories exist to provide further granularity. The first, 2506.10.00.10, is designated for specific types of manufactured sands. These sands must contain 95 percent or more silica by weight and have an iron oxide content not exceeding 0.6 percent. The second subcategory, 2506.10.00.50, serves as a residual category for all other forms of quartz that do not meet the specific criteria of the preceding subcategory.