• What is Limestone or calcium carbonate mineral?

Limestone or calcium carbonate has a chemical formula (CaCO3). This mineral is rarely found in nature in pure lime. Limestone is a solid, odorless mineral found in beige, white, or grayish white.

This mineral is mostly found in the form of clay limestone, sandy limestone or dolomitic rocks. Important limestone impurities include magnesium, silica, aluminum and manganese. Limestone is genetically divided into two main groups. Stony limestone and misplaced limestone.

In situ limestone include all columnar limestone that are present in a specific location during chemical and biochemical processes, such as travertine and limestone columns. Displaced limestone is similar in texture to classical rocks, but in origin are entirely related to chemical processes, such as degraded limestone and sandy limestone.

• Consumption of raw limestone and hydrated limestone

1. The consumption of crude limestone and hydrated limestone in iron and steel industries are 41%.

2. Consumption of raw limestone and hydrated limestone in the construction industry is 32%.

3. Consumption of raw limestone and hydrated limestone in environmental industries are 3%.

4. Consumption of raw limestone and hydrated limestone in the chemical industry are 6%.

5. Consumption of crude limestone and hydrated limestone in paper, ceramics, paint, sugar refining, leather, agriculture and oil industries are 8%.

• Consumption of limestone in steel industry:

Limestone is used as a melting aid in this industry. In addition to reducing the melting temperature, lime acts as a separator and collector of waste elements such as sulfur, phosphorus, aluminum and silica. The role of limestone is very important to remove this waste from smelting slag.

• Consumption of limestone in refining and health industries:

One of the health uses of limestone are to improve the quality of drinking water. Bicarbonate in water reduces the hardness of water by adding limestone. Limestone also precipitates phosphate and nitrogen compounds. Limestone is also used to control the pH of effluents and to settle waste and neutralize acidic effluents in factories and to control air pollution.

• Consumption of limestone in the chemical industry:

Limestone are used in the preparation of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate. Limestone are used in the preparation of calcium carbide. Other chemical uses of limestone are in the production of magnesium from seawater, in the preparation of table salt, in the production of insecticides, and in the production of pigments.

• Consumption of limestone in the paper industry:

Limestone are used in the paper industry to make sulfate pulp, to reuse sodium carbonate, and to make calcium hypochlorite, which causes the paper to turn white.

• Consumption of limestone in construction and civil engineering industries:

Limestone is used as the main material in cement production. Baked limestone is used as a mortar in construction. Limestone is widely used as a production of decorative and indoor decorative stones. Limestone is used in the glass industry as a melting aid. Limestone is also used in dolomitic refractories. Limestone is widely used as sand production and road infrastructure.

• The other uses of limestone:

In sugar factories, limestone is used to refine sugar and separate phosphate compounds and organic acids. In the oil industry, limestone is used to neutralize the organic compounds of sulfides, to neutralize So2 gas, and to prepare special greases. In the paint industry, lime is used as a filler. In the leather industry, limestone is used to separate hair or wool from animal skins (tanning industry). In agriculture, limestone is used to control the PH of water.