It is commonly reduced to metallic high purity cobalt. It can be absorbed on to various catalyst supports for use in Fischer–Tropsch catalysis. It is used in the preparation of dyes and inks.

Cobalt nitrate is used in the decoration of porcelain and stones; in the manufacture of invisible inks and cobalt pigments; in hair dyes; in animal feeds; as an additive to soils; in catalysts preparation; and in vitamin supplements.

Cobalt dinitrate hexahydrate is a hydrate that is the hexahydrate form of cobalt dinitrate. It is a hydrate, a cobalt salt and an inorganic nitrate salt. It contains a cobalt dinitrate.