Additional non-ferrous market applications

Lime - and where appropriate, limestone - functions as a key fluxing reagent in copper, nickel, aluminum and magnesium smelting and refining operations. It supports slag chemistry control, impurity management and overall furnace stability. In some copper smelters, lime is added to control slag viscosity caused by magnetite or to produce a lime‑rich slag in low-iron concentrates. Lime and limestone also contribute to several supporting processes, such as bismuth recovery, stable arsenic removal, improved gas scrubbing, and better dust filtration.

Lime and limestone precipitate impurities (iron, aluminum, manganese, magnesium) during hydrometallurgical processing of sulphide and laterite ores, improving  - nickel and cobalt recovery, both critical for stainless steel and battery cathode materials.

Lime supports the safe removal of arsenic from process solutions through scorodite precipitation, or by forming calcium arsenate/arsenite at higher pH - helping you meet strict environmental requirements.

Quicklime reduces free moisture in iron ore and mineral concentrates, helping you to comply with TML shipping requirements, prevent dusting, and avoid dangerous cargo fluidization. 

Quicklime mitigates “sticky ore” issues by reducing moisture, increasing evaporation through exothermic hydration and reacting with clays - improving material handling and flow properties. 

Adding lime during solid–liquid separation of sulfide mineral concentrates, helps prevent the release of sulfur-based odors that can form when flotation reagents break down during storage, transport, and handling. 

Milled limestone helps suppress coal dust explosions, in underground coal mines, by binding dust on mine walls and diluting airborne coal dust in the event of ignition. 

Slaked lime can be used to extinguish coal fires.

Lime removes soluble MgCl from NaCl side- streams, enabling production of high purity sodium chloride. 

Lime and limestone neutralize acidity and precipitate dissolved metals in AMD/ARD, protecting groundwater and surface water from contamination. 

Lime (hydrated or slurry) enhances binder performance and environmental stability by: 

• Improving sulphate resistance and pH control 
• Accelerating early strength gain (CPB) 
• Reducing acid generation and metal leaching (CPT) 
• Supporting long term stability and trafficability 

Typical usage ranges: 

• CPB: tailings 75–85%, cement 3–8%, lime 0.5–1% 
• CPT: tailings >80%, cement 0.5–2%, lime 0.3–7% 

Lime can be supplied as hydrated powder or slurry, dosed through slaking systems, screw feeders or slurry pumps, and mixed in pugmills or high shear paste mixers.