Manufacturing

Lime for today's market must meet exacting chemical and physical specification, high purity limestone is required and processing of limestone into lime is tightly controlled to ensure quality products. The four basic steps are,

1. MINING: Lime stone is extracted in both underground and surface mines. Lime quality limestone must be carefully identified and extracted to maintain its purity.

2. STONE PREPARATION: This step includes crushing or breaking of stone to desired feed size.

3. CALCINATION: Limestone which is primarily composed of Calcium Carbonate, is heated to convert the calcium carbonate into calcium oxide. In India, this process is widely carried out in Vertical kilns. Calcining is an energy intensive process due to high temperature of 950oC required. The product of calcining is Quick Lime, which is further sized according to customer requirement.

4. HYDRATION: Hydrated Lime is produced by reacting Quick Lime with water in continuous hydrators. The end product is a fine dry powder.