Umbala we-iron oxide uhlobo lombala onokuhlakazeka okuhle, ukumelana nokukhanya okuhle kakhulu, kanye nokumelana nesimo sezulu. Umbala we-iron oxide ikakhulukazi ubhekisela ezinhlotsheni ezine zombala: obomvu we-iron oxide, ophuzi wensimbi, omnyama wensimbi, kanye nonsundu wensimbi, kanye ne-iron oxide njengento eyisisekelo. Phakathi kwazo, umbala obomvu we-iron oxide uwumbala oyinhloko (ohlanganisa cishe u-50% wombala we-iron oxide), kanti i-mica iron oxide esetshenziswa njengombala wokulwa nokugqwala kanye ne-magnetic iron oxide esetshenziswa njengezinto zokuqopha ze-magnetic nazo ziyingxenye yesigaba sombala we-iron oxide. I-iron oxide iyi-pigment yesibili ngobukhulu ye-inorganic ngemuva kwe-titanium dioxide futhi iyi-pigment enkulu kakhulu ye-inorganic enemibala. Ngaphezu kuka-70% wazo zonke izinhlobo zombala we-iron oxide ezisetshenziswayo zilungiswa ngezindlela zokwenziwa kwamakhemikhali, ezaziwa ngokuthi i-synthetic iron oxide. I-synthetic iron oxide isetshenziswa kabanzi ezintweni zokwakha, izembozo, amapulasitiki, ama-elekthronikhi, ugwayi, imithi, irabha, izinto zobumba, uyinki, izinto ezisebenza ngogesi, ukwenza iphepha, kanye neminye imikhakha ngenxa yobumsulwa bayo obuphezulu bokwenziwa, usayizi wezinhlayiya ezifanayo, i-chromatography ebanzi, imibala eminingi, izindleko eziphansi, kanye nezakhiwo ezingezona ezinobuthi, kanye nezakhiwo ezinhle kakhulu zokufaka imibala kanye nokusetshenziswa, kanye nezakhiwo zokufaka imibala ze-UV.