•  Yellow ochre, Fe2O3 * H2O, hydrated iron oxide form
•  Red ochre, Fe2O3 * H2O, the same as above but heated for a red color
• Purple ochre, Fe2O3 * H2O, larger particle sizes cause the light reflected to be a purple color
• Brown ochre (Goethite), partly hydrated iron oxide

All ochres have a rich history, being the oldest dyes ever used. In Palaeolithic times, red ochre was used to color the bodies of the dead by some people. Red and yellow ochres were easily made into paints by prehistoric peoples who would then paint with their hands or with vegetable paint brushes.They are varied in their transparency also. Some are opaque, while others are used for glazes.

Red and yellow ochres are abundant at the surface in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Ochre is mined in the United States, France, and some other parts of Europe. Being basically an iron oxide, ochre can be found all around the world.

Ochre is used to make things an earthy color. Modern uses include:

• Mortar
• Brick
• Roofing
• Concrete
• Paper
• Ceramics
• Textiles
• Cosmetics
• Paints
• Caulk

Surprisingly, this powder also seems to affect strength in mortar and concrete. Ochre only costs $ .12 per sq.ft. per 4" deep slab of concrete. Therefore, an average cubic yard of concrete requires less than $10 of ochre. Ochre is an iron oxide, because of that it will last a very long time.

Ochre is a cheap, beautiful, and natural pigment. It will give life to even the dullest driveways and with endless applications, ochre truly is an amazing product.