diff --git a/structuretoolkit/__init__.py b/structuretoolkit/__init__.py
index 3a79c0486..cf64fdab7 100644
--- a/structuretoolkit/__init__.py
+++ b/structuretoolkit/__init__.py
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@
     ase_to_pymatgen,
     ase_to_pyscal,
     center_coordinates_in_unit_cell,
-    get_atomic_numbers,
     get_extended_positions,
     get_vertical_length,
     get_wrapped_coordinates,
diff --git a/structuretoolkit/common/__init__.py b/structuretoolkit/common/__init__.py
index 41bad76b0..b762bac1c 100644
--- a/structuretoolkit/common/__init__.py
+++ b/structuretoolkit/common/__init__.py
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 from structuretoolkit.common.helper import (
     apply_strain,
     center_coordinates_in_unit_cell,
-    get_atomic_numbers,
     get_extended_positions,
     get_vertical_length,
     get_wrapped_coordinates,
diff --git a/structuretoolkit/common/helper.py b/structuretoolkit/common/helper.py
index 835ceae0a..2c901a591 100644
--- a/structuretoolkit/common/helper.py
+++ b/structuretoolkit/common/helper.py
@@ -3,10 +3,6 @@
 from scipy.sparse import coo_matrix
 
 
-def get_atomic_numbers(structure):
-    return [atomic_numbers[el] for el in structure.get_chemical_symbols()]
-
-
 def get_extended_positions(
     structure, width, return_indices=False, norm_order=2, positions=None
 ):
diff --git a/structuretoolkit/visualize.py b/structuretoolkit/visualize.py
index 6b7ed9b79..b8d69fc57 100644
--- a/structuretoolkit/visualize.py
+++ b/structuretoolkit/visualize.py
@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@
 import numpy as np
 from scipy.interpolate import interp1d
 
-from structuretoolkit.common.helper import get_atomic_numbers
-
 __author__ = "Joerg Neugebauer, Sudarsan Surendralal"
 __copyright__ = (
     "Copyright 2021, Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung GmbH - "
@@ -184,7 +182,7 @@ def _plot3d_plotly(
     if select_atoms is None:
         select_atoms = np.arange(len(structure))
     elements = structure.get_chemical_symbols()
-    atomic_numbers = get_atomic_numbers(structure=structure)
+    atomic_numbers = structure.get_atomic_numbers()
     if scalar_field is None:
         scalar_field = elements
     fig = px.scatter_3d(
@@ -302,7 +300,7 @@ def _plot3d(
             vector_field = structure.get_initial_magnetic_moments()
 
     elements = structure.get_chemical_symbols()
-    atomic_numbers = get_atomic_numbers(structure=structure)
+    atomic_numbers = structure.get_atomic_numbers()
     positions = structure.positions
 
     # If `select_atoms` was given, visualize only a subset of the `parent_basis`