A dark colorant for grays, browns and blacks in glazes, slips and clay bodies.
You must test before you use it, at any scale. Raw materials, mined or man-made, are not consistent. Color, strength, particle size and chemistry can change from one bag to the next and from one supplier to another, even when the name on the bag stays the same. Before you use this material in a glaze, slip or clay body of any size, mix a small test batch, fire it on your own clay in your own kiln, and check the results.
What it is
A dark powder made of iron and chrome. It gives grays, browns and blacks, depending on the glaze. Potters also mix it into clay or slip to make dark or speckled clay bodies.
Getting started
- In a glaze, start at 1 to 2% (1 to 2 grams per 100 grams of dry glaze) and test.
- In clay or slip, start around 2% for a gray body and add more for darker color.
- Like chrome oxide, it can turn tin-bearing glazes pink, in the same pot or in the same kiln.
- Fire a test tile before you use it on finished work.
For glaze formulators
- Iron chromite (FeCr₂O₄ type). Refractory.
- Gives warm grays and browns in most bases. Blacks come from combining it with cobalt and manganese.
- Avoid tin in the same glaze unless you want pinks or tans; zinc pushes it toward brown.
Safety
- Contains chromium. Don't breathe the dust. Wear a NIOSH-approved respirator (N95 or better) and gloves when handling it dry. Clean up with a wet sponge, not a broom.
- For functional ware, use a stable, tested base glaze, and have the finished glaze lab-tested before you sell the work.
Sizes & pricing
| Size | Price | Per lb | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 lb | $3.35 | $3.35 | Add to cart |
| 5 lb | $16.00 | $3.20 | Add to cart |
| 10 lb | $31.00 | $3.10 | Add to cart |
| 25 lb | $75.00 | $3.00 | Add to cart |
| 50 lb bag | $133.00 | $2.66 | Add to cart |
Full bags mix and match. Every full bag in your order, of any raw material, adds up. That total sets the price of every bag. Smaller sizes don't count.
| Full bags in your order | Price per 50 lb bag | Per lb |
|---|---|---|
| Under 500 lb | $133.00 | $2.66 |
| 500 lb and up | $130.50 | $2.61 |
| 2,000 lb and up | $128.00 | $2.56 |
| 6,000 lb and up | $125.50 | $2.51 |
| 12,000 lb and up | $122.50 | $2.45 |
Prices from our October 23, 2026 price list.
Frequently Asked Questions
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