Limestone

Limestone Latest News

The first-ever auction of limestone mineral blocks in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir will be formally launched in Jammu.

About Limestone

• Limestone is a sedimentary rock made of calcium carbonate (CaCO3), usually in the form of calcite or aragonite.
• It occurs across almost all geological sequences from Pre-Cambrian to Recent, except in Gondwana formations.

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Composition of Limestone

• It contains considerable amounts of magnesium carbonate (dolomite).
• It also contains minor constituents of clay, iron carbonate, feldspar, pyrite, and quartz.
• In many cases, the grains are microscopic fragments of fossil animal shells that are also present.

Distribution of Limestone in India

• Karnataka has the largest share (28%) of total resources, followed by Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Meghalaya, and Chhattisgarh.
• Production Centers: Over three-fourths of India’s limestone is produced in just six states: Andhra Pradesh & Telangana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.

Uses of Limestone

• The principal use of limestone is in the Cement Industry.
• Metallurgical Processes: It is used as a flux in iron and steel production.
• Other Industries: Glass, Ceramic, Paper, Textile, and Tanning
• Chemical Production: Calcium carbide, alkali, bleaching powder
• Agriculture: It is used as soil conditioning agent, fertilizer (calcium ammonium nitrate)
• Consumer Products: Whiting (chalk and precipitated limestone) in rubber, paint, cosmetics, toothpaste, and shoe polish

Source: PIB