Uses for lime

Markets Lime and lime-based products are used in a wide variety of traditional and emerging applications because of their chemical and physical properties. Each of our customers is unique, which is why they will all find a range of products and services suited to their specific needs. Agriculture Various mixtures of lime, limestone and dolomite are used in agriculture and forestry, both for correcting acidity in the soil and for adding nutrients which contain magnesium and calcium. <a href="http://www.lhoist.com/frames/Frame_Agricul/Frame_Agricul.htm">Lime in agriculture</a> Chemical Lime is used in the production of calcium carbide, propylene oxide, sodium carbonate and glycerine. It is also a reagent in the production of calcium-based compounds and in processes where pH modification is necessary. <a href="http://www.lhoist.com/frames/Frame_Chemical/Frame_Chemical.htm">Lime in chemical industry</a> Civil Engineering Lime is used to dry out damp soil and to improve the clay soils used in earthworks. Hydrated lime improves the performance of the asphalt mixes used for road surfacing. <a href="http://www.lhoist.com/frames/Frame_Civil/Frame_Civil.htm">Lime in civil engineering</a> Construction Lime-based mortars are often used in masonry and in plaster mixes for building facades. In addition, lime is being used increasingly in modern building materials, such as aerated concrete and sand-lime bricks. <a href="http://www.lhoist.com/frames/Frame_Constr/Frame_Constr.htm">Lime in construction</a> Gas Treatment Lime is used to neutralise flue-gas pollutants such as sulphur and chlorine. Blended with additives, it captures heavy metals, dioxins and furans. <a href="http://www.lhoist.com/frames/Frame_Gaz/Frame_Gas.htm">Lime in gas treatment</a> Glass Dolomite is mainly used in the float glass industry. This source of magnesium acts as a stabiliser to improve the general resistance of glass to natural or chemical attack. <a href="http://www.lhoist.com/frames/Frame_Glass/Frame_Glass.htm">Dolomite in glass</a> Iron & Steel About 40 kilograms of lime are necessary to produce 1 tonne of pure steel. Lime and dolime are essential for slag formation. They play an important role in desulphurising, and help to protect the refractory linings. <a href="http://www.lhoist.com/frames/Frame_Iron/Frame_Iron.htm">Lime in steel making</a> Non-ferrous The copper industry uses lime as an agent for pH regulation in the flotation process. In aluminium production it is used to extract silica compounds. Lime is also used to purify gold and silver and in the production of uranium. Paper Lime is used to reconstitute caustic soda in the pulp-making process. Precipitated Calcium Carbonate (PCC) made from quicklime is a high quality filler in papermaking, where lime is also used to soften the process water. <a href="http://www.lhoist.com/frames/Frame_Paper/Frame_Paper.htm">Lime in pulp and paper making</a> Refractories Dead-burned dolomite is used both as a refractory product in granular form to repair linings, as well as for making the bricks used in the refractory linings of casting moulds and cement kilns. <a href="http://www.lhoist.com/frames/Frame_Refracto/Frame_Refracto.htm">Dolomite in basic refractories</a> Water & Sludge treatment Lime is essential for adjusting pH levels and for softening drinking and process water, as well as for treating urban and industrial waste water. Quicklime is widely used for stabilising urban and industrial residual sludge. <a href="http://www.lhoist.com/frames/Frame_Water/Frame_Water.htm">Lime in water treatment</a>