The current technology is directed to an iron-substituted copper aluminum delafossite pigment, as well as a gallate version of the same. In particular, the materials may be defined as iron-substituted copper aluminum delafossite, CuFexAl1-xO2 and the gallate, CuFexGa1-xO2 where X=0.01 to 1.00, for example, CuFe0.15Al0.85O2, and CuFe0.15Ga0.85O2. The pigments are dark-brown to black, absorb most light in the visible spectrum, but have low absorbance and high reflectance in the near-infrared regions, specifically light from about 700 nm-2500 nm.