Crocoite Pigment

Description

Crocoite is a handmade pigment prepared from the natural mineral crocoite, a rare lead chromate (PbCrO₄) crystal. In its pure crystal form it displays intense, glassy orange. Finely ground as a pigment, it produces a vivid, high-chroma warm orange with a strong and dense, opaque masstone. Compared to modern cadmiums or organic oranges, Crocoite feels heavier, more mineral, and distinctly “jewel-like,” with a historical, 19th-century character rather than a contemporary synthetic look.

In use, Crocoite can give a powerful, saturated orange-red suitable for historical studies, conservation work, and very specialized applications. It has very strong tinting strength and is highly opaque, covering completely in masstone and creating intense warm mixtures in small amounts. It can be combined with yellows for blazing warm lights, with reds for fiery vermilion-like tones, and with earth colors for strong brick, tile, and rust hues. Because it is a rare, highly toxic mineral and a lead–chromate pigment, Crocoite is best treated as a collector’s or research pigment rather than an everyday studio color.

This natural lead chromate is a specialist material with both rarity and significant toxicity; it is not recommended for casual or general artistic use. When used, it should be reserved for experienced practitioners, conservation contexts, or historically focused work where its specific optical character is required and appropriate safety measures can be rigorously maintained.

History

Crocoite was first described in the 18th century from bright orange-red crystals found in the Ural Mountains and later in deposits in Tasmania and other localities. Its striking color attracted early mineralogists, jewelers, and painters alike. Chemically, crocoite is natural lead chromate—the same fundamental compound later manufactured industrially as Chrome Yellow and Chrome Orange, which revolutionized the painter’s palette in the 19th century.

While synthetic lead chromate pigments quickly became widespread in paints and coatings, the natural mineral crocoite remained a rarity, valued more for its crystal specimens than for large-scale pigment production. Today, crocoite is chiefly collected as a mineral curiosity and studied for its historic role in the development of chromium pigments. As a pigment, it persists only in very small-batch, specialist, or research contexts, where its intense, glassy orange-red hue and direct link to early chromium color chemistry are appreciated—but always handled with great caution due to the combined presence of lead and chromate.

Health and Safety

Precautions:

Contains lead and chromate compounds. Handle only with appropriate safety precautions.

Keep out of reach of children and pets.

Do not consume.

Not for cosmetic or food usage.

Not for children’s materials or any situation with frequent hand-to-mouth contact.

Do not spray apply.

Avoid sanding or aggressive grinding that can generate fine airborne dust.

Use care when handling dry pigments and avoid dust formation.

Avoid breathing in pigment dust and use a NIOSH-certified respirator rated for toxic metal and chromate dusts.

Wear gloves and protective clothing to prevent skin contact; do not allow pigment to contact eyes.

Do not eat, drink, or smoke near dry pigments.

Wash hands and any exposed skin thoroughly after use or handling.

Work in a well-ventilated area and wet-wipe surfaces to minimize dust spread.

Store securely in clearly labeled, tightly closed containers away from food preparation or eating areas.

Dispose of waste, rags, and wash water according to local regulations for lead- and chromium-containing materials.

This product may contain chemicals known by the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or reproductive harm.

Warnings and bottle information are abbreviated.

Pigment Information

Pigment Type: Natural (Inorganic) lead chromate mineral (crocoite)

Suitable Mediums: Oil, Tempera, Acrylic, Enamel

Lightfastness: Excellent

Opacity: Opaque

Other Names: Crocoite, Natural Lead Chromate Orange-Red, Chrome Mineral Orange

Color Index Code: Natural lead chromate mineral related to PY34 (Chrome Yellow)