Philipp Bros. Ore v. United States

45 Cust. Ct. 64
CourtUnited States Customs Court
DecidedAugust 30, 1960
DocketC.D. 2199
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 45 Cust. Ct. 64 (Philipp Bros. Ore v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Customs Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Philipp Bros. Ore v. United States, 45 Cust. Ct. 64 (cusc 1960).

Opinion

JOHNSON, Judge:

The merchandise involved in this case is described on the invoice as tantalite-columbite concentrate and was assessed with duty by the collector at 15 per centum ad valorem under paragraph 214 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as modified by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, T.D. 51802, as earthy or mineral substances, wholly or partly manufactured, not decorated. It is claimed in the protest, as amended, that the merchandise is free of duty under paragraph 1664 of said tariff act as a metallic mineral substance in a crude state, or under paragraph 1119 of said tariff act as a mineral, crude, or not advanced in value or condition by refining, grinding, or other process of manufacture, or that it is dutiable under paragraph 5 of said tariff act, as modified by the Sixth Protocol of Supplementary Concessions to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, T.D. 54108, at 11 per centum ad valorem, as a mixture of chemical compounds, or under paragraph 1558 of the said tariff act, as modified by the Torquay Protocol to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, T.D. 52739 and T.D. 52827, 'at 10 per centum ad valorem as a nonenumerated manufactured article.

According to the deposition of Dr. Hans-Joachim Friedrich, chemical engineer employed by Hermann C. Starck, producer of the mer[66]*66chandise, it is a mixture of tantalum oxide and columibium oxide with impurities consisting of titanium oxide, tin oxide, iron oxide, calcium oxide, silica, and small quantities of oxides of zirconium and rare earths. It was produced from tin slags as follows:

The tin slags are melted together with carbon and iron in an electric furnace. The resulting ferro alloy, containing tantalum and columbium in the form of carbide, is separated from the slag, which contains only traces of tantalum and columbium, by decantation. The ferro alloy is crushed, milled and leached with boiling hydrochloric acid in order to dissolve most of the iron. The residue from this operation contains mainly crude tantalum and columbium carbide. If necessary, the crude carbides are leached with caustic soda solution in order to remove ferro silicon. After drying, the crude carbides are oxidized by igniting in air.

The chemical analysis of the product, as given by this witness, and in a report of Ledoux & Company, engineers, chemists, and assayers (plaintiff’s exhibit 3), is as follows:

Columbium Oxide 25.40%
(Cb206)
Tantalum Oxide 23.44%
(Ta2Oc)
Titanium Oxide 6.72%
(TiO*)
Tin Oxide 0.52%
(Sn02)

A report of the United States Customs Laboratory (plaintiff’s exhibit 2) states:

The sample in powder form is composed chiefly of the oxides of columbium and tantalum with small amounts of oxides and silicates of iron, manganese and titanium. We find no evidence of metal as such.

At the trial, W. C. Bowden, chemist and vice president of Ledoux & Company, testified that tantalite-columbite concentrates are used for the eventual manufacture of columbium and tantalum metal; that he has analyzed tantalite-columbite concentrates obtained from ore as distinguished from the method by which these concentrates were obtained; that the imported merchandise did not differ in physical or chemical properties from tantalite-columbite concentrates obtained from ore; and that it could be used in a similar manner. In his opinion, the merchandise was a metallic mineral substance because the principal elements are columbium and tantalum and the final use of columbium and tantalum is as a metal. He 'added that no metal could be found during the course of analysis; that since the columbium and tantalum were present as oxides, the merchandise was in a crude form; and that the refined form would be the metal. He said that it would be necessary to further process the merchandise before it could be used and that this would be true of columbite-tantalite concentrates derived from ore.

[67]*67The witness testified further that the oxides composing the merchandise were chemical compounds and that all except calcium oxide and silica were metallic mineral substances. In his opinion, the merchandise was a mixture of chemical compounds.

On cross-examination, Mr. Bowden stated that a slag was an intermediate substance in between an ore and a concentrate in refining to a metal; that tin slag is derived from a tin concentrate and is a waste from refining. The witness stated that tin oxide was a metallic mineral substance but that aluminum oxide was not, basing his conclusion on the final use of the material.

The issue involved in this case is whether the merchandise was properly classified by the collector under paragraph 214, as modified, as earthy or mineral substances, wholly or partly manufactured, or whether it is provided for under one of the paragraphs under which plaintiff is claiming.

The pertinent provisions of the tariff act, or said act, as modified, are:

Paragraph 214 [as modified by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, T.D. 51802]—

Earthy or mineral substances wholly or partly manufactured and articles, wares, and materials (crude or advanced in condition), composed wholly or in chief value of earthy or mineral substances, not specially provided for, whether susceptible of decoration or not (except synthetic materials of gem stone quality, such as corundum and spinel, and articles and wares composed wholly or in chief value of such materials, and except marble chip or granite) :
If not decorated in any manner:
* $ $ ‡ ‡ #
Other-15% ad val.
Pab. 1719. Minerals, crude, or not advanced in value or condition by refining or grinding, or by other process of manufacture, not specially provided for.
Pab. 1664. Metallic mineral substances in a crude state, such as drosses, shimmings, residues, brass foundry ash, and flue dust, not specially provided for.

Paragraph 5 [as modified by the Sixth Protocol of Supplementary Concessions to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, T.D. 54108]—

All chemical elements, all chemical salts and compounds, all medicinal preparations, and all combinations and mixtures of any of the foregoing, all the foregoing obtained naturally or artificially and not specially provided for, * * *_11% ad val.

Paragraph 1558 [as modified by the Torquay Protocol to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, T.D. 52739 and T.D. 52827]—

Articles manufactured, in whole or in part, not specially provided for * * *_10% ad val.

[68]*68It is plaintiff’s contention tbat tbe merchandise is not properly classifiable under paragraph 214, as modified, under the provision for “Earthy or mineral substances wholly or partly manufactured and articles, wares, and materials (crude or advanced in condition), composed wholly or in chief value of earthy or mineral substances” on the ground that said paragraph was not intended to cover metallic mineral substances.

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Related

Englehardt Industries, Inc. v. United States
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51 Cust. Ct. 13 (U.S. Customs Court, 1963)

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Bluebook (online)
45 Cust. Ct. 64, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/philipp-bros-ore-v-united-states-cusc-1960.