A deep, reddish-orange synthetic pigment. Patented in 1930 by Lederle in Germany, molybdate orange is a solid solution of lead chromate, lead molybdate, and lead sulfate. The toxic pigment has uniform, small, rounded particles and a high refractive index. Molybdate orange has good covering power but moderate lightfastness. It is used industrially in printing inks, paints, and plastic.