Paint

Gilsonite as a Partial Replacement for Black Pigment

July 12, 2026 · 1 min read · Sun Gilsonite Technical Team

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Gilsonite as a Partial Replacement for Black Pigment – Rows of palletized gilsonite in the loading yard

Carbon black is effective but can be difficult to disperse. Gilsonite can supply part of the black colour in solution.

Advantages

Dissolves rather than disperses
No milling needed for the gilsonite portion
Adds gloss and binder properties

Limitations

Gilsonite solutions appear brown when very thin; carbon black is still needed for jet black.

Gilsonite pallets stretch-wrapped in blue film – paint application

How the two compare

Feature	Carbon black	Gilsonite
Form in paint	Dispersed particles	Dissolved resin
Milling required	Yes	No
Jetness	Very high	Good in thick films
Contribution to binder	None	Acts as binder

Practical approach

Use gilsonite to supply part of the black and part of the binder, then add a small amount of carbon black for final jetness. This can reduce milling time and pigment cost.

Limitations

Gilsonite is not lightfast in thin films and can brown slightly. For high-performance exterior coatings, use proper topcoats.

Use micronized gilsonite for fast dissolution.

Recommended product

Data sheet

Micronized Gilsonite

Data sheet – Micronized Gilsonite
Property	Typical value	Test method
Appearance	Dark brown fine powder	Visual
Particle size	300 – 600 mesh	Laser / sieve
Softening point (R&B)	150 – 180 °C	ASTM D36
Ash content, max	3 %	ASTM D3174
Moisture, max	1 %	ASTM D95
Solubility in toluene, min	99 %	ASTM D2042
Specific gravity @ 25°C	1.04 – 1.06	ASTM D70
Typical dosage	Ink varnish: 20–40 % in oil.
Packing	25 kg multi-wall paper bags with PE liner, palletized.