Minerals; mixtures and articles of heat-insulating, sound-insulating or sound-absorbing mineral materials, other than those of heading no. 6811 or 6812 or of chapter 69

HS code 680690 covers a diverse range of mineral-based materials used for heat insulation, sound insulation, and sound absorption. These products play a crucial role in the construction, automotive, and industrial sectors, helping to improve energy efficiency, acoustic comfort, and overall building performance. As a key component of the broader 6806 Slag wool, rock wool and similar mineral wools; exfoliated vermiculite, expanded clays, foamed slag and similar expanded mineral materials; mixtures and articles of heat-insulating, sound-insulating or sound-absorbing mineral materials, except those of heading 6811 or 6812 or of chapter 69 industry, this code represents an important segment of the global economy.

The production of 680690 materials typically involves the processing of various mineral raw materials, such as rock, slag, or glass. These materials are often melted, spun, or expanded to create lightweight, porous structures that excel at insulating against heat and sound. Common manufacturing techniques include blowing, pressing, and extrusion, which shape the mineral materials into the desired forms, such as boards, panels, or loose-fill products.

The main inputs for the 680690 industry include mineral raw materials like rock, slag, and glass, as well as binders, additives, and processing equipment. Manufacturers may source these inputs from 2506 (Quartz (other than natural sands); quartzite, whether or not roughly trimmed or merely cut, by sawing or otherwise, into blocks or slabs of a rectangular (including square) shape), 2618 (Granulated slag (slag sand) from the manufacture of iron or steel), or 7001 Cullet and other waste and scrap of glass; glass in the mass industries, among others.

The primary outputs of the 680690 industry are a wide range of heat-insulating, sound-insulating, and sound-absorbing products, such as mineral wool boards, panels, and loose-fill materials. These outputs are often used in the construction of buildings, vehicles, and industrial equipment, where they help improve energy efficiency, acoustic performance, and overall comfort. The 680690 products may be consumed by industries covered under 6811 Articles of asbestos-cement, of cellulose fiber-cement or the like, 6812 (Fabricated asbestos fibers; mixtures with a basis of asbestos or with a basis of asbestos and magnesium carbonate; articles of such mixtures or of asbestos (for example, thread, woven fabric, clothing, headgear, footwear, gaskets), whether or not reinforced, other than goods of heading 6811 or 6813), and 6901 (Bricks, blocks, tiles and other ceramic goods of siliceous fossil meals (for example, kieselguhr, tripolite or diatomite) or of similar siliceous earths).