Home > Terms > English, UK (UE) > Smalt

Smalt is powdered glass, coloured to a deep powder blue hue using cobalt ions derived from cobalt oxide (see cobalt glass for the non-powdered glass). Smalt is used as a pigment in painting, and for surface decoration of other types of glass and ceramics, and other media. Cobalt aluminate can be used in a similar way, and is now more common, often known as "cobalt blue".