Iron oxide pigments: Trading
Sold by shade and strength, not by the tonne
What this tab covers How and where it is bought and sold: who buys and sells, exchanges and benchmarks, contract types, the big trading houses and how prices are discovered.There is no exchange. Pigments are sold by grade and shade from producers to concrete-product makers, paint firms and compounders, often through distributors. Price depends on colour strength, purity, particle size and whether the pigment is natural or synthetic. Industrial-minerals price services publish indicative prices. Buyers in coloured concrete value consistent shade, so they tend to stay with qualified suppliers.
Where it is bought (buyers)
- Concrete block, paver and roof-tile makers buy powder and granules
- Paint and coatings makers buy by shade and particle size
- Ferrite and plastics makers buy high-purity grades
Where it is sold (sellers)
- Chinese makers export synthetic pigment (44% of US synthetic imports in 2021-24)
- LANXESS ships from Germany (30% of US synthetic imports), China and Brazil
- Cyprus (51%), France (23%) and Austria (18%) supply most US natural imports (USGS)
Exchanges and benchmarks
| Venue | Contract | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| None | No futures or exchange contract | All trade is bilateral |
Contract types
- Annual or quarterly price agreements with large buyers
- Distributor sales in bags and big bags
- Specification by colour (red, yellow, black, brown), tinting strength and particle size
Top trading houses
- No major trading houses; producers sell direct or through chemical distributors
How prices are discovered
- Producer price lists and bilateral negotiation
- US Census import unit values reported by USGS
- US tariffs: 3.7% on synthetic, 5.5% on earth colours, plus duties on Chinese goods