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Limestone

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Title: Limestone


1
LimestoneThe Future of Jamaicas Mining
Industry
  • N.C.Davis Feb. 2009

2
Minerals
  • Minerals are classified as metallic and
    non-metallic.
  • The main metallic mineral resources discovered in
    Jamaica are bauxite, cobalt, copper, gold, iron,
    lead, manganese, silver, titanium and zinc.
  • Jamaicas non-metallic mineral resources consist
    of limestone, sand and gravel, dolomite, marble,
    gypsum, shale, pozollan, silica sand and skid
    resistant aggregates.
  • Fossil fuels (e.g. peat, coal and petroleum) are
    also classified as minerals.

3
Minerals in Jamaica
  • The commercially exploitable minerals in
    Jamaica, including a wide variety of limestone,
    hard volcanic rocks, bauxite, marble, base and
    precious metals, sand and gravel.
  • These minerals are of major significance to
    Jamaicas economic development, particularly
    their contribution to the national economy, their
    impact on, and linkages with other sectors.
  • The mineral industry overall contribution to
    Gross Domestic Product (GDP) avg. 5.7 per
    year ( 2002 2007) and in 2008, the sector
    contributed in excess of US1.3 billion to the
    Jamaican economy.

4
Present Status Jamaican Mineral Industry
  • The Jamaican bauxite/alumina industry is in its
    mature stage, and presently experiencing a steep
    decline and deep trough - Aluminum (2002 2007)
    avg. world growth of 6.6 per year, cyclical
    industry, strategic, lightweight, re-cycle able
    metal.
  • By contrast, the Jamaican non-metallic minerals
    sub-sector is still in the early stages of its
    economic development and growth.
  • Limestone - The unpolished GEM

5
LIME FOR LIFE
  • Literally any object that exists in ones home,
    or office (or virtually any manufactured product)
    requires lime or limestone in some phase of its
    manufacture, directly or indirectly, either as a
    prime or incidental processing material.
  • It is stated that there are six (6) essential
    building blocks of commerce and industry iron
    ore, salt, sulphur, petroleum, coal and
    limestone/lime.

6
BASIC DEFINITION
  • LIMESTONE
  • Limestone is a highly porous rock formed over
    thousands of years from the compression of shells
    and the bones of sea animals.
  • These carbonate rocks or fossils, comprises
    primarily of Calcium Carbonate (CaC03 ) or
    combinations of Calcium (Ca) and Magnesium
    Carbonate (MgCO3) with varying amounts of
    impurities (silica and alumina)

7
HISTORY/ORIGIN
  •  Unquestionably the use of lime and limestone is
    prehistoric they are among the oldest materials
    used by mankind
  • During the Stone Age, primitive man utilized
    limestone the confine fires, construct stone
    shelters and make crude tools and weapons.
  • The pyramids of ancient Egypt are the first
    recorded use of limestone and lime for the
    building of these structures

8
DEPOSITS
  •  Limestone abundance is evidenced by the fact
    that an estimated 3.5 4 of the elements in
    the earths crust contain calcium and 2 contain
    magnesium dolomitic (CaCO3 or MgCO3)
  •  Of all elements, calcium ranks 5th in abundance,
    exceeded only by oxygen, silicone, aluminium and
    iron.

9
USES of LIMESTONE
  • Limestone, the source material for all lime based
    value added products calcined, hydrated,
    precipitated.
  • Limestone is widely used as a building
    construction material concrete, blocks.
  • Limestone is used in the manufacture - cement and
    glass.
  • Limestone is used to strengthen and stabilise the
    sub-grade in road construction.
  • Limestone is an alkali and is used extensively to
    neutralize acids PH control .

10
LIMESTONE DEPOSITS in JAMAICA
  • Jamaicas most abundant mineral is limestone
    approx 50 - 60 billion tonnes.
  • Limestone deposits in Jamaica account for 65 of
    the island by weight, and 85 of its surface
    coverage.
  • High quality deposits exist 98 CaCO3 high
    purity grade.

11
LIMESTONE QUARRIES
  • Active Quarries (Limestone) 85 ( 55 are
    community based operations)
  • Licensed Quarries - 215
  • 80 of Quarries producing less than 100,000mt/
    year
  • 2 of Quarries producing over 500,000mt/year
  • Production of approx. 6 - 8 million mt/year for
    domestic consumption.
  • Quantity of Limestone exported approx 250,000mt
    per year.
  • Employment 1,500 (direct) and 7,500 (indirect)

12
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13
SEVERAL PICTURES IN THE QUARRY
Limestone post-blasting
Hard Limestone
Soft Limestone
Quarry Benching
14
QUARRY SITE
15
GROUND CALCIUM CARBONATE
  • In its natural state, calcium carbonate occurs in
    many forms, including higher spec. chemical
    filler grade limestone commonly known as
    Whiting.
  • Both wet and dry grinding methods are commonly
    used in processing the GCC for industrial uses. 
  • Paper, plastic, paint and rubber producers use
    calcium carbonate as a way to improve quality and
    lower manufacturing costs. 
  • GCC deposits in Jamaica St. Ann, Westmoreland,
    Portland St. Thomas.
  • There is one GCC/Whiting operations in St. Ann
    producing approx. 100,000mt/yr for export.

16
LIME Value Added Products
  • Calcined lime
  • Quicklime/Burnt lime/White wash is obtained by
    heating limestone at temperatures above 900 degC
    in a Kiln.
  • CaCO3 heat CaO 2CO2
  • Hydrated lime
  • Calcium Hydroxide/Slaked Lime is a dry powder,
    resulting from the controlled slaking of Calcined
    Lime with water in a Hydrator.
  • CaO H2O ------- Ca (OH)2
  • Precipitated Calcium Carbonate
  • Carbonation of Hydrated lime, also known
    as purified, refined or synthetic Calcium
    carbonate.
  • CaO H2O CO2 ------- CaCO3 H2O

17
Limestone Cycle
Limestone
Calcium Hydroxide ) Ca(OH)2 - WET
CO2
Calcium oxide (CaO)
CO2
H2O
Heat
Lime
Milk of Lime
H2O
H2O
Hydrated Lime
Slurry
Calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2 - DRY
18
USES of LIME
  • Flux Alumina, Steel
  • Lubricant Wire drawings, Oil Wells
  • Neutralisation Water Treatment, Agricultural
    soils
  • Solvent Leather, Paints
  • Absorption Bleaches, Sulphur Dioxide removal
  • Raw Material Rubber, Concrete, Glass,
    Tooth-paste
  • Bonding Agent Mortars, Plasters, Road Soil
    stabilisation
  • Causticisation Caustic soda, Alkali scrubbing

19
LIME KILNS
  • In Jamaica there are five (5) operating Lime
    kilns aging from (9 54 yrs) and one (1) aged
    Hydrator - supplying products primarily to the
    Alumina Sugar industries.
  • These Kilns combined produce Calcined lime -
    approx. 340,000 mt/yr vs. local demand of
    420,000mt/yr resulting in a shortfall of 60K
    80K mt/yr.
  • The shortfall of Calcined lime has to be
    imported primarily from South America.
  • More costly than local produced lime
  • Multiple handling Storage
  • Lower quality than local lime

20
Vertical Lime Kiln
21
STRENGTHS
  • Quality of limestone (97 99 CaCO3) exceeds
    minimum requirements in both local and foreign
    markets
  • Large deposits of Limestone (approx 60 billion
    tons)
  • Jamaica is arguably the easiest location in the
    Latin American and the Caribbean region to access
    a wide variety of consistent quality aggregate.
  • Deposits exists at or close to the surface which
    makes for easy extraction.
  • High quality of Calcined lime produced (93 - 95
    CaO)

22
WEAKNESSES
  • Many Limestone Quarry facilities (static and
    mobile plants) are old, unreliable and
    inefficient.
  • Lime Kilns and Hydrator old insufficient
    capacity
  • Lack of sufficient Port facilities Harbour Head
  • Most limestone quarries are land-locked hence
    high transportation costs from Quarry to Port.
  • Need to streamline the Quarry Zoning process
    Tourism, Agriculture, Housing
  • Low level of research and product development
  • Low economies of scale small operations
  • Capital intensive ( mobile static plants)
  • Need for frequent structured training -
    Operations, maintenance blasting.

23
OPPORTUNITIES
  • Could be a major player in the USA markets
  • Estimated to be 25 30million mt/yr
  • Pres Obama Stimulus plan (Infrastructure
    development Clean Coal Energy plan) - Road ,
    building construction, desulphurization
  • Take advantage of the fact that several of US
    domestic Quarries in Florida are being
    exhausted/retired.
  • Potential Limestone exports to the Caribbean
    region 2.0 million mt/yr
  • Growing export market for value-added products in
    the USA GCC PCC 1.0 million mt/yr
  • Import substitution - limestone based products
    can be manufactured locally rather than import
    (grout, plasters, mortars)
  • Further develop valueadded downstream industrial
    activities- GCC, Hydrated Lime, PCC. Financial
    returns increases along the Value chain.

24
THREATS
  • High operating overheads conversion costs-
  • - Interest rates
  • - Security costs
  • - Energy costs
  • Environment issues dust, noise, soil erosion,
    aesthetics
  • Competition from other developing markets for the
    export of limestone Dom Rep, Mexico, Colombia
  • High inland freight (road/rail)
  • Importation of Calcined lime

25
CONSIDERATIONS
  • The lime and limestone industry needs to get
    national prominence (as bauxite/alumina) by all
    stakeholders in Jamaica.
  • Further develop the export market for
    lime/limestone PCC, GCC, Hydrated.
  • Implement import substitution of both limestone
    and lime based products being imported in
    Jamaica.

26
CONSIDERATIONS
  • Utilise the Windalco corridor rail network to
    transport limestone aggregates 70 miles
    (Ewarton Sp. Twn. Williamsfield).
  • Organise a comprehensive training certification
    programme HEART/NTA UTECH, NSU, UWI.
  • Develop proper Port facilities, including
    multiple usage of the existing five (5)
    Bauxite/Alumina Ports.
  • Utilise barges to transport building and road
    construction materials around the island
    Caribbean Salt River, Bowden, Mosquito Cove.

27
MAJOR PORTS IN JAMAICA
28
Port Esquivel
29
CONSIDERATIONS
  • Encourage the use of manufactured sand from
    Limestone and reduce the environmental pressures
    created by river sand mining from some present
    operations.
  • Revitalise existing non-performing assets WCC,
    Salt River pier.
  • Develop stand alone Lime facilities independent
    of the Bx/Alumina Kilns/locations

30
Summary Limestone The Future of Jamaican
Industry
  • Abundance of the mineral in Jamaica
  • Good consistent quality easily extracted.
  • Simplicity and versatility of limestone.
  • Numerous uses of limestone and lime.
  • Value added products.
  • Vast experience expertise in the minerals
    industry
  • Close proximity to major markets

31
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