Seven inorg. pigments were stirred sep. (15 min, 1000 rpm) with aq. solns. of com. surfactants (concns. 0,25-5,0 g/L) and then subjected to sedimentation for 3 days to det. dispersion efficiency as a function of surfactant content and type. Similarly, aq. pigment dispersions contg. optimum surfactant contents and addnL a thickener (0.25-15.0 g/L) were studied for dispersion efficiency as a function of thickener content and its type to select the optimum compn. of the pigment paste. Furthermore, pigment sp. surfaces were detd. by measurements of methylene blue adsorption from aq. solns. (concns. 1.0-42.0 mg/L) at room temp. by spectrophotometry to develop the Langmuir isotherm model of the pigment-contg. dispersions with a large sp. surface.