List of inorganic pigments

The following list includes commercially or artistically important inorganic pigments of natural and synthetic origin. ^[1]

Purple pigments

Aluminosilicate pigments

• Ultramarine violet (PV15): a synthetic or naturally occurring sulfur containing silicate mineral.

Arsenic pigments

• London purple — an arsenical insecticide/pigment mixture derived from aniline-dye waste.^{[ citation needed ]}

Copper pigments

• Han purple: BaCuSi₂O₆.

Cobalt pigments

• Cobalt violet (PV14): Co₃(PO₄)₂.

Gold pigments

• Purple of Cassius: Gold nanoparticles suspended in tin dioxide - Au_x • SnO₂.

Iron pigments

• Caput mortuum (Mars Violet) — a purple‑brown hematite iron oxide pigment, Fe₂O₃. ^{[2] [3] [4]}

Manganese pigments

• Manganese violet: NH₄MnP₂O₇ (PV16) manganic ammonium pyrophosphate. ^[5]

Strontium pigments

• Strontium Violet (PV62) — Sr₅(PO₄)₃Cu_0.3O. ^{[6] [7]}

Blue pigments

Aluminosilicate pigments

• Ultramarine (PB29): a synthetic or naturally occurring sulfur containing silicate mineral - Na
  _^8–10Al
  _⁶Si
  _⁶O
  _²⁴S
  _^2–4 (generalized formula).
• Smalt CoO·nSiO₂. ^[8]

Cobalt pigments

• Cobalt blue (PB28): cobalt(II) aluminate.
• Cerulean blue (PB35): cobalt(II) stannate.
• Cerium uranium blue
• Cobalt chromite blue-green spinel CoCr₂O₄. ^[9]
• Cobalt zinc aluminate spinel CoZnAl₂O₄. ^[10]

Copper pigments

• Azurite Cu₃(CO₃)₂(OH)₂. ^[11]
• Blue Verditer Cu₂(OH)₂CO₃.

Iron pigments

• Prussian blue (PB27): a synthetic inert pigment made of iron and cyanide: C₁₈Fe₇N₁₈.
• Vivianite Fe₃(PO₄)₂·8H₂O. ^[12]

Manganese pigments

• YInMn Blue: a synthetic pigment (YIn_1−xMn_xO₃). ^[13]
• Manganese blue: barium manganate(VI) sulfate.

Zirconium pigments

• Zirconium–vanadium blue zircon ZrSiO₄:V. ^[14]

Green pigments

Arsenic Pigments

• Scheele's Green: yellowish-green pigment commonly used during the early to mid-19th century (AsCuHO₃).

• Paris Green: It was manufactured in 1814 to be a pigment to make a vibrant green paint.

Cadmium pigments

• Cadmium green: a light green pigment consisting of a mixture of cadmium yellow (CdS) and chrome green (Cr₂O₃).

Chromium pigments

• Chrome green (PG17): anhydrous chromium(III) oxide (Cr₂O₃).
• Viridian (PG18): hydrated chromium(III) oxide Cr₂O₃ • xH₂O.

Cobalt pigments

• Cobalt green: also known as Rinman's green or zinc green (CoZnO₂).
• Cobalt titanate green CoTiO₃. ^[15]

Copper pigments

• Malachite: cupric carbonate hydroxide (Cu₂CO₃(OH)₂), unstable.
• Scheele's Green (also called Schloss green): cupric arsenite (CuHAsO₃).
• Brunswick green: various pigments, some with copper.
• Verdigris Cu(CH₃COO)₂·nCu(OH)₂. ^[16]
• Atacamite Cu₂Cl(OH)₃. ^[17]
• Brochantite Cu₄SO₄(OH)₆. ^[18]
• Green verditer Cu₂(OH)₂CO₃. ^[19]
• Egyptian Green CaCuSi₄O₁₀ + Fe compounds. ^[20]

Other pigments

• Green earth: also known as terre verte and Verona green (K[(Al,Fe³⁺),(Fe²⁺,Mg](AlSi₃,Si₄)O₁₀(OH)₂).

Yellow pigments

Arsenic pigments

• Orpiment: natural monoclinic arsenic sulfide (As₂S₃).
• Pararealgar AsS. ^[21]

Bismuth pigments

• Primrose yellow (PY184): bismuth vanadate (BiVO₄).
• Bismuth molybdate Bi₂MoO₆. ^[22]

Cadmium pigments

• Cadmium yellow (PY37): cadmium sulfide (CdS), which also occurs as the mineral greenockite.
• Cadmium Lemon (PY37) CdS + ZnS. ^[23]

Chromium pigments

• Chrome yellow or crocoite (PY34): lead chromate (PbCrO₄).
• Strontium yellow (PY32): SrCrO₄.
• Barium Yellow (PY31) BaCrO₄. ^[24]
• Zinc Yellow (PY36) 4ZnCrO₄·K₂O·H₂O. ^[25]

Cobalt pigments

• Aureolin or cobalt yellow (PY40): potassium cobaltinitrite (K₃Co(NO₂)₆).

Iron pigments

• Yellow ochre (PY43): a naturally occurring clay of monohydrated ferric oxide (Fe₂O₃·H₂O).
• Mars Yellow (PY42) Fe₂O₃·nH₂O. ^[26]

Lead pigments

• Naples yellow (PY41).
• Lead-tin-yellow: PbSnO₄ or Pb(Sn,Si)O₃.
• Massicot PbO. ^[27]

Titanium pigments

• Titanium yellow (PY53): NiO · Sb₂O₃ ·20TiO₂ .

Tin pigments

• Mosaic gold: stannic sulfide (SnS₂).

Zinc pigments

• Zinc yellow (PY36): zinc chromate (ZnCrO₄), a highly toxic substance with anti-corrosive properties which was historically most often used to paint over metals.

Orange pigments

Arsenic pigments

• Realgar As₄S₄. ^[28]

Bismuth pigments

• Bismuth Vanadate Orange (PO86) BiVO₄. ^[29]
• Bismuth Oxyhalide Orange (PO85) BiOCl·Bi₂S₃. ^[30]

Cadmium pigments

• Cadmium orange (PO20): an intermediate between cadmium red and cadmium yellow: cadmium sulfoselenide.

Vanadium pigments

• Bismuth vanadate orange (PO86): similar to vermilion.

Red pigments

Arsenic pigments

• Realgar: As₄S₄ - a highly toxic natural pigment.

Cadmium pigments

• Cadmium red (PR108): cadmium sulfo-selenide (Cd2SSe).

Cerium pigments

• Cerium sulfide red (PR265).

Iron oxide pigments

• Sanguine, Caput mortuum, Indian red, Venetian red, oxide red (PR102).
• Red ochre (PR102): anhydrous Fe₂O₃.
• Burnt sienna (PBr7): a pigment produced by heating raw sienna.

Lead pigments

• Minium (pigment): also known as red lead, lead tetroxide, Pb₃O₄.

Mercury pigments

• Vermilion or cinnabar (PR106): HgS.

Brown pigments

Clay earth pigments (naturally formed iron oxides)

• Raw umber (PBr7): a natural clay pigment consisting of iron oxide, manganese oxide and aluminum oxide: Fe₂O₃ + MnO₂ + nH₂O + SiO₂ + Al₂O₃. When calcined (heated) it is referred to as burnt umber and has more intense colors.
• Raw sienna (PBr7): a naturally occurring yellow-brown pigment from limonite clay. Used in art since prehistoric times.

Black pigments

Carbonaceous pigments

• Aniline black (PBk1).
• Lamp black (PBk6).
• Carbon black (PBk7).
• Vine black (PBk8).
• Ivory black (PBk9).
• Graphite (PBk10).
• Mineral Black (PBk18).

Iron pigments

• Mars black or Iron black (PBk11) (C.I. No.77499) Synthetic magnetite Fe₃O₄.

Manganese pigments

• Manganese dioxide (PBk14): blackish or brown in color, used since prehistoric times (MnO₂).
• Iron manganese oxide (PBk33, (Fe,Mn)₂O₃).

Molybdenum pigments

• Molybdenum Disulfide (PBk34).

Titanium pigments

• Titanium black: Titanium(III) oxide (Ti₂O₃).
• Titanium Dioxide Black: (PBk35) (CAS 51745-87-0) Reduced titanium oxide.

Others

• Iron Titanium Brown Spinel (PBk12).
• Cobalt Black (PBk13).
• Zinc Sulfide (PBk17).
• Slate Black (PBk19).
• Copper Chromite Black (PBk22, PBk28).
• Tin Antimony Gray (PBk23).
• Titanium Vanadium Antimony Gray (PBk24).
• Cobalt Nickel Gray (PBk25).
• Manganese Ferrite Black (PBk26) (Fe,Mn)₂O_4.
• Iron Cobalt Chromite Black (PBk27).
• Iron Cobalt Black (PBk29).
• Chrome Iron Nickel Black (PBk30).
• Perylene Green (PBk31).
• Perylene Black (PBk32).

White pigments

Antimony pigment

• Antimony white: antimony(III) oxide (Sb₂O₃).

Barium pigments

• Barium sulfate (PW5 or baryte): barium sulfate (BaSO₄).
• Lithopone: BaSO₄•ZnS.

Lead pigment

• Cremnitz white (PW1): basic lead(II) carbonate ((PbCO₃)₂·Pb(OH)₂).

Titanium pigment

• Titanium white (PW6): titanium(IV) oxide (TiO₂).

Zinc pigments

• Zinc white (PW4): zinc oxide (ZnO).
• Sachtolith: zinc sulfide (ZnS).

Fluorescent pigments

Main article: uranium glass

• Uranium salts.

Safety

A number of pigments, especially traditional ones, contain heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and cadmium that are highly toxic. The use of these pigments is now highly restricted in many countries. ^[1] For more information, see the article on lead paint.

See also

• List of dyes
• Blue pigments
• Green pigments
• Red pigments

References

1. Völz, Hans G.; et al. "Pigments, Inorganic". Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry . Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. doi:10.1002/14356007.a20_243.pub2. ISBN   978-3-527-30673-2..
2. "Hematite". CAMEO. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Retrieved 2025-09-19.
3. de Oliveira, Luiz F. C.; Edwards, Howell G. M.; Frost, Ray L.; Kloprogge, J. Theo; Middleton, Paul S. (2002). "Caput mortuum: spectroscopic and structural studies of an ancient pigment". Analyst. 127: 536–541. doi:10.1039/B111473P.
4. "6.02.02 Caput Mortuum (Forbes Pigment Database)". CAMEO. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Retrieved 2025-09-19.
5. Müller, Hugo; Müller, Wolfgang; Wehner, Manfred; Liewald, Heike. "Artists' Colors". Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry . Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. doi:10.1002/14356007.a03_143.pub2. ISBN   978-3-527-30673-2.
6. "Schmincke Horadam "Volcano Violet" — Pigment Information". Utrecht Art Supplies. Retrieved 2025-09-19.
7. "Schmincke Horadam Watercolour: Cobalt Violet Hue (PV62)". Jackson’s Art. Retrieved 2025-09-19.
8. "Smalt: The Cobalt Glass Pigment".
9. "PG50 – Cobalt Chromite Blue-Green Spinel".
10. "PB36 – Cobalt Zinc Aluminate Spinel".
11. "Azurite: The Blue Copper Carbonate Mineral".
12. "Vivianite: The Blue Iron Phosphate Mineral".
13. Smith, Andrew E.; Mizoguchi, Hiroshi; Delaney, Kris; Spaldin, Nicola A.; Sleight, Arthur W.; Subramanian, M. A. (2009). "Mn³⁺ in Trigonal Bipyramidal Coordination: A New Blue Chromophore". J. Am. Chem. Soc. 131 (47): 17084–17086. doi:10.1021/ja9080666. PMID   19899792.
14. "PB74 – Zirconium Vanadium Blue".
15. "Cobalt Titanate Green Pigment".
16. "Verdigris: The Ancient Copper Acetate Pigment".
17. "Atacamite: The Green Copper Chloride Mineral".
18. "Brochantite: The Green Copper Sulfate Mineral".
19. "Green Verditer: Historic Copper Carbonate Pigment".
20. "Egyptian Green: Ancient Artificial Pigment".
21. "Pararealgar: The Yellow Arsenic Sulfide Mineral".
22. "PY227 – Bismuth Molybdate Pigment".
23. "PY37 – Cadmium Lemon Yellow".
24. "PY31 – Barium Chromate Pigment".
25. "PY36 – Zinc Chromate Yellow".
26. "PY42 – Mars Yellow Iron Oxide".
27. "Massicot: Lead(II) Oxide Pigment".
28. "Realgar: Arsenic Sulfide Mineral Pigment".
29. "PO86 – Bismuth Vanadate Orange Pigment".
30. "PO85 – Bismuth Oxyhalide Orange Pigment".

External links

• "Mineral Paints"  . New International Encyclopedia . 1905.