2616.90.00.40 - Gold content

This HTS category, 2616.90.00.40, specifically covers ores, concentrates, and residues where gold is the primary precious metal of commercial interest. It encompasses materials that, through smelting or refining processes, are intended to yield gold. The classification hinges on the presence and economic significance of gold content within these mineral products.

This designation distinguishes itself from its sibling categories by its exclusive focus on gold. For instance, 2616.90.00.10 relates to ores with copper content, 2616.90.00.20 to those with lead, and 2616.90.00.30 to those with zinc. Furthermore, 2616.90.00.50 applies to "Other precious metal content," implying a focus on metals like platinum, palladium, or rhodium, rather than gold.

As this is a leaf node in the HTS classification, there are no further subcategories. Therefore, the classification of any given product under 2616.90.00.40 will depend on a thorough analysis of its composition and the principal precious metal it is intended to yield. The critical determinant for classification here is the dominant economic value derived from its gold content when compared to any other constituent precious or base metals.