I feel iron rich minerals are mainly responsible for color development. It may happen, if other transition metals present be able to influence the colour in small concentration even.

Agree with Sunil remark. Iron rich mineral - water interaction usually cause for colour develop in water. 

Iron oxides, iron hydroxides, and iron oxy-hydoxides can all be those colors you describe, as well as they are some of the most common. Depending on the oxidation state and crystal arrangement colors can vary from silver to brown to red to orange to yellow. These minerals include things such as the minerals hematite, goethite, and limonite. Common mineral associations can be in the sulfur realm of things, with elements such as pyrite, which is iron sulfide, and other sulfate-reducing mineralizations.

Hi Cole,

Thank you for your response.

Could you please explain more about the effect of crystal arrangement on the resultant color? Any reference in this regard?

Best regards,

Ebrahim

Maybe references on Ammonitico Rosso Fm might offer some answers

regards,

kamal

Dear Mr. Sangsefidi,

It is correct that minerals with trivalent iron accommodated in their lattice such as hematite and goethite display these shades. but it is an oversimplification to attribute these colors in supergene minerals to the trivalent state of Fe only. Have a look at mindat or webminerals and try and find minerals containing U, Cr, Co, Mo, W or Sb which formed in the gossans or weathering encrustations , in general. You will see all shades from yellow through, brown to red. Chromophores in minerals is one the most complicated issues and should not be dealt with in this way. Please browse the literature about mineral colors. I can provide you some information about colors in mineral such as fluorite (see the Researchgate Server).

With kind regards

H.G.Dill

Well,

From attached fig. by product we can derive some sources of color from materials used in paint industries.

thanks