7108.11.00.00 - Powder

This HTS category, 7108.11.00.00, specifically classifies gold in powder form, provided it is considered nonmonetary. This means the gold is not being traded as currency but rather for its intrinsic value as a commodity or for use in industrial, artistic, or jewelry applications. The key defining characteristic for this classification is the physical form of the gold: finely divided particles or dust.

It is crucial to distinguish this category from its siblings. HTS 7108.12 covers gold in other unwrought forms, such as bars, ingots, or granules, which are typically larger and more consolidated than powder. HTS 7108.13, on the other hand, classifies gold in semimanufactured forms, which implies processed shapes like wires, rods, or sheets, intended for further fabrication. Therefore, 7108.11.00.00 is exclusively for gold that has been reduced to a particulate state.

As a leaf node within the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, 7108.11.00.00 has no further subdivisions. Classification into this code relies solely on the material being gold and its presentation as a powder. Examples of goods falling under this classification would include gold dust used in high-end cosmetics, specialized industrial applications like conductive inks, or for dental alloys where fine particles are required. The essential criterion is the pulverization of the nonmonetary gold.