Gum rosin also called colophony, is a solid form of resin obtained from pines and some other plants, mostly conifers, produced by heating fresh liquid resin to vaporize the volatile liquid terpene components. It is semi-transparent and varies in color from yellow to black. At room temperature rosin is brittle, but it melts at stove-top temperatures. It chiefly consists of different resin acids, especially abietic acid.

 

Gum rosin is an important raw material for the manufacture of adhesive, coating, inks, rubber, soaps, paper etc.