CLA-2-71:RR:NC:1:118 B80730
Ms. Mary Elizabeth Strom
Attorney in Fact
AEI-Radix Customs Brokerage Services
5510 West 102nd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90009
RE: The tariff classification of gold bonding wire with dopant
and aluminum bonding wire from Germany.
Dear Ms. Strom:
In your letter received by this office on December 18, 1996
you requested, on behalf of your client, Heraeus Inc., a tariff
classification ruling.
You state that the submitted samples represent the following
products of their compositions by weight:
1) Gold bonding wire (type L-HSB), 99.999 percent
gold, .001 percent dopant.
2) Gold bonding wire (type Beta-S), 99.999
percent gold, .001 percent dopant.
3) Gold bonding wire (type C-HTB), 99.999 percent
gold, .001 percent dopant.
4) Aluminum bonding wire, (type Al-RR), 99.999
percent aluminum.
5) Aluminum bonding wire (type AL-ISI-USB), 99
percent aluminum, 1 percent silicon.
The importer's submitted literature states that the bonding
wires are used in the production of semiconductors. Further,
they have stated by phone that the product is round wire with a
typical cross dimension of .002 inches
The applicable subheading for the gold bonding wires will be
7108.13.7000, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States
(HTS), which provides for Gold unwrought or in semimanufactured
forms...: Nonmonetary: Other semimanufactured forms: Other. The
rate of duty will be 5.7 percent ad valorem.
Gold in semimanufactured forms, which are classified in
subheading 7108.13.7000, HTS, will be free of duty if imported on
or before December 31, 2000, when imported in the form of wire
containing 99.9 percent or more by weight of gold and with
dopants added to control wire bonding characteristics, having a
diameter of 0.05 millimeters or less, for use in the manufacture
of diodes, transistors, and similar semiconductor devises or
electronic integrated circuits.
The applicable subheading for the aluminum bonding wire will
be 7605.19.0000, HTS, which provides for Aluminum wire: Of
aluminum, not alloyed: Other. The rate of duty will be 4.2
percent ad valorem.
As you have requested we are returning your samples.
This ruling is being issued under the provisions of Part 177
of the Customs Regulations (19 C.F.R. 177).
A copy of the ruling or the control number indicated above
should be provided with the entry documents filed at the time
this merchandise is imported. If you have any questions
regarding the ruling, contact National Import Specialist Kathy
Campanelli at 212-466-5492.
Sincerely,
Robert B. Swierupski
Chief, Metals & Machinery
Branch
National Commmodity
Specialist Division