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