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The quality of limestone is crucial for limestone suppliers, as is that of quicklime to its producers and their customers. Quality requirements vary depending on the industrial application, and understanding the factors affecting quality is of great importance in industry. Quicklime is produced via the calcination of limestone in high-temperature kilns—a process that emits large quantities of carbon dioxide (CO2). Increased knowledge of the factors influencing quicklime quality would help reduce the associated CO2 emissions, increase material efficiency, and reduce energy consumption, while increased knowledge of the chemical composition of the raw materials would make the mining process more efficient.

A thermal decrepitation study was performed on 80 limestone samples. This involved analyzing the chemical composition, thermal decrepitation, and crack formation. The results of this study showed that thermal decrepitation does not correlate with the chemical composition of limestone. Instead, it was suggested that that thermal decrepitation can be explained by the thermally induced formation of cracks.

Slaking reactivity experiments were performed on quicklimes produced in a CO2 atmosphere at various calcination times and temperatures. The specific surface areas of the quicklime samples were measured and correlated with the calcination times and temperatures. Based on statistical analysis of the experimental data, the highest-reactivity quicklime was obtained at a low calcination temperature and medium-to-long calcination time, while the quicklimes with the highest specific surface areas were obtained at low calcination temperatures and low calcination times.

A carbonation study was carried out to investigate the effect of different atmospheres on the carbonation of quicklimes derived from two types of limestones: sedimentary and metamorphic. Three different carbonation atmospheres were investigated, one represented the flue gas in a conventional fuel-fired kiln and the other two an electrically heated kiln with dry and wet limestone feeds, respectively. It was found that the carbonation of quicklime varies, depending on the gas composition and limestone type.

Trace element analysis was performed on stromatoporoid limestone, crinoid limestone, reef limestone, fragmentary limestone, marl consolidated, marl soft, and clay layer. Zinc (Zn) and lead (Pb) concentrations were determined by means of two different spectroscopy methods, one of which was performed on bulk samples, while the other was performed on phases within the samples. The results showed that the highest Zn and Pb concentrations were found in the silicon (Si)-rich phases of the marl soft and clay layer.