List of inorganic pigments

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

Purple pigments
Aluminum pigments


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

Copper pigments


 * Han purple: BaCuSi2O6.

Cobalt pigments


 * Cobalt violet (PV14): Co3(PO4)2.

Manganese pigments


 * Manganese violet: NH4MnP2O7 (PV16) manganic ammonium pyrophosphate.

Gold pigments


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

Arsenic pigments


 * London purple AS2O3.

Blue pigments
Aluminum pigments


 * Ultramarine (PB29): a synthetic or naturally occurring sulfur containing silicate mineral - (generalized formula)
 * Persian blue: made by grinding up the mineral Lapis lazuli. The most important mineral component of lapis lazuli is lazurite (25% to 40%), a feldspathoid silicate mineral with the formula.

Cobalt pigments


 * Cobalt blue (PB28): cobalt(II) aluminate.
 * Cerulean blue (PB35): cobalt(II) stannate.
 * Cerium uranium blue

Copper pigments


 * Egyptian blue: a synthetic pigment of calcium copper silicate (CaCuSi4O10). Thought to be the first synthetically produced pigment.
 * Han blue: BaCuSi4O10.
 * Azurite: cupric carbonate hydroxide (Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2).
 * Basic copper carbonate: Cu2(OH)2CO3.

Iron pigments


 * Prussian blue (PB27): a synthetic inert pigment made of iron and cyanide: C18Fe7N18.

Manganese pigments


 * YInMn Blue: a synthetic pigment discovered in 2009 (YIn1− xMnxO3).
 * Manganese blue: barium manganate(VI) sulfate.

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

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

Copper pigments
 * Cobalt green: also known as Rinman's green or zinc green (CoZnO2).


 * Malachite: cupric carbonate hydroxide (Cu2CO3(OH)2).
 * Scheele's Green (also called Schloss green): cupric arsenite (CuHAsO3).

Other pigments


 * Green earth: also known as terre verte and Verona green (K[(Al,Fe^{3+}),(Fe^{2+},Mg](AlSi3,Si4)O10(OH)2).

Yellow pigments
Arsenic pigments
 * Orpiment: natural monoclinic arsenic sulfide (As2S3).

Bismuth pigments
 * Primrose yellow (PY184): bismuth vanadate (BiVO4).

Cadmium pigments
 * Cadmium yellow (PY37): cadmium sulfide (CdS), which also occurs as the mineral greenockite.

Chromium pigments
 * Chrome yellow or crocoite (PY34): lead chromate (PbCrO4).

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).

Lead pigments
 * Naples yellow (PY41).
 * Lead-tin-yellow: PbSnO4 or Pb(Sn,Si)O3.

Strontium pigments
 * Strontium yellow (PY32): SrCrO4

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
Bismuth pigments


 * Bismuth vanadate orange (PO86): non-toxic pigment similar to vermilion.

Cadmium pigments


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

Chromium pigments
 * Chrome orange: a now obscure pigment composed of a mixture of lead chromate and lead(II) oxide (PbCrO4•PbO).

Red pigments
Arsenic pigments


 * Realgar: As4S4 - a highly toxic natural pigment.

Cadmium pigments

Cerium pigments
 * Cadmium red (PR108): cadmium sulfo-selenide (Cd2SSe).


 * 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 + $n$H2O + 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
 * Carbon black (PBk7).
 * Ivory black (PBk9).
 * Vine black (PBk8).
 * Lamp black (PBk6).

Iron pigments Manganese pigments Titanium pigments
 * Mars black or Iron black (PBk11) (C.I. No.77499) Synthetic magnetite Fe3O4.
 * Manganese dioxide: blackish or brown in color, used since prehistoric times (MnO2).
 * Titanium black: Titanium(III) oxide (Ti2O3).

White pigments
Antimony pigment Barium pigments Lead pigment Titanium pigment Zinc pigments
 * Antimony white: antimony(III) oxide (Sb2O3).
 * Barium sulfate (PW5 or baryte): barium sulfate (BaSO4).
 * Lithopone: BaSO4•ZnS.
 * Cremnitz white (PW1): basic lead(II) carbonate ((PbCO3)2*Pb(OH)2).
 * Titanium white (PW6): titanium(IV) oxide (TiO2).
 * Zinc white (PW4): zinc oxide (ZnO).
 * Sachtolith: zinc sulfide (ZnS).

Fluorescent pigments

 * 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.