Chapter 69

1. This chapter applies only to ceramic products which have been fired after shaping:

(a) Headings 6904 to 6914 apply only to such products other than those classifiable in headings 6901 to 6903;

(b) Articles heated to temperatures less than 800 °C for purposes such as curing of resins, accelerating hydration reactions, or for the removal of water or other volatile components, are not considered to be fired. Such articles are excluded from Chapter 69; and

(c) Ceramic articles are obtained by firing inorganic, nonmetallic materials which have been prepared and shaped previously at, in general, room temperature. Raw materials comprise, inter alia, clays, siliceous materials including fused silica, materials with a high melting point, such as oxides, carbides, nitrides, graphite or other carbon, and in some cases binders such as refractory clays or phosphates.

2. This chapter does not cover:

(a) Products of heading 2844;

(b) Articles of heading 6804;

(c) Articles of chapter 71 (for example, imitation jewelry);

(d) Cermets of heading 8113;

(e) Articles of chapter 82;

(f) Electrical insulators (heading 8546) or fittings of insulating material (heading 8547);

(g) Artificial teeth (heading 9021);

(h) Articles of chapter 91 (for example, clocks and clock cases);

(ij) Articles of chapter 94 (for example, furniture, luminaires and lighting fittings, prefabricated buildings);

(k) Articles of chapter 95 (for example, toys, games and sports equipment);

(l) Articles of heading 9606 (for example, buttons) or of heading 9614 (for example, smoking pipes); or

(m) Articles of chapter 97 (for example, works of art).

1. For the purposes of headings 6902 and 6903, the term "refractory" is applied to articles which have a pyrometric cone equivalent of at least 1500°C when heated at 60°C per hour (pyrometric cone 18). Refractory articles have special properties of strength and resistance to thermal shock and may also have, depending upon the particular uses for which designed, other special properties such as resistance to abrasion and corrosion.

2. For the purposes of heading 6902, a brick which contains both chromium and magnesium is classifiable according to which of those components (expressed as Cr 2O 3 or MgO, respectively) is the greater by weight.

3. For the purposes of headings 6905 and 6907, the term "tiles" does not include any article 3.2 cm or more in thickness.

5. For the purposes of headings 6909 through 6914:

(a) The terms "porcelain,""china" and"chinaware"embrace ceramic ware (other than stoneware), whether or not glazed or decorated, having a fired white body (unless artificially colored) which will not absorb more than 0.5 percent of its weight of water and is translucent in thicknesses of several millimeters. The term"stoneware" as used in this note, embraces ceramic ware which contains clay as an essential ingredient, is not commonly white, will absorb not more than 3 percent of its weight of water, and is naturally opaque (except in very thin pieces) even when absorption is less than 0.1 percent.

(b) The term "bone chinaware" embraces chinaware or porcelain the body of which contains 25 percent or more of calcined bone or tricalcium phosphate.

(c) The term "earthenware" embraces ceramic ware, whether or not glazed or decorated, having a fired body which contains clay as an essential ingredient, and will absorb more than 3 percent of its weight of water.

(d) The water absorption of a ceramic body shall be determined by ASTM test method designated C373 (except that test specimens may have a minimum weight of 10 g, and may have one large surface glazed).

6. For the purposes of headings 6911 and 6912:

(a) The term "available in specified sets" embraces plates, cups, saucers and other articles principally used for preparing, serving or storing food or beverages, or food or beverage ingredients, which are sold or offered for sale in the same pattern, but no article is classifiable as being "available in specified sets" unless it is of a pattern in which at least the articles listed below in (b) of this note are sold or offered for sale.

(b) If each of the following articles is sold or offered for sale in the same pattern, the classification hereunder in subheadings 6911.10.35, 6911.10.37, 6911.10.38, 6912.00.35 or 6912.00.39, of all articles of such pattern shall be governed by the aggregate value of the following articles in the quantities indicated, as determined by the appropriate customs officer under section 402 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, whether or not such articles are imported in the same shipment:

12 plates of the size nearest to 26.7 cm in maximum dimension, sold or offered for sale, 12 plates of the size nearest to 15.3 cm in maximum dimension, sold or offered for sale, 12 tea cups and their saucers, sold or offered for sale, 12 soups of the size nearest to 17.8 cm in maximum dimension, sold or offered for sale, 12 fruits of the size nearest to 12.7 cm in maximum dimension, sold or offered for sale, 1 platter or chop dish of the size nearest to 38.1 cm in maximum dimension, sold or offered for sale, 1 open vegetable dish or bowl of the size nearest to 25.4 cm in maximum dimension, sold or offered for sale, 1 sugar of largest capacity, sold or offered for sale, 1 creamer of largest capacity, sold or offered for sale.

If either soups or fruits are not sold or offered for sale, 12 cereals of the size nearest to 15.3 cm in maximum dimension, sold or offered for sale, shall be substituted therefor.

(c) The percentage of water absorption of cast and jiggered ceramic articles of the same pattern, which are "available in specified sets" and which are imported together in a ratio of at least 5 jiggered articles to 1 cast article in the same shipment shall be the average water absorption of such cast and jiggered articles, of the same pattern in the shipment, which average absorption shall be deemed to be equivalent to 5 percent of the water absorption of a representative sample of such cast articles plus 95 percent of the water absorption of a representative sample of such jiggered articles.

7. For the purposes of headings 6911, 6912 and 6913, those provisions which classify merchandise according to the value of each "article," an article is a single tariff entity which may consist of more than one piece. For example, a vegetable dish and its cover, or a beverage pot and its lid, imported in the same shipment, constitute an article.

1. For the purposes of headings 6904 and 6905, a "heat insulating" article, whether or not shaped, is one having a specific gravity of 1.2 or less and designed to impede or resist the flow of heat at temperatures above 870°C.

2. For the purposes of heading 6904:

(a) The term "solid bricks" refers to bricks containing not more than 25 percent voids.

(b) The term "hollow bricks" refers to bricks containing more than 25 percent voids.