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Lime is an industry closely associated with railways. A fairly low value product, it relied on rail transport for cheap bulk transport. Lime kilns were often served by narrow gauge railways, three at least being located on Victoria's narrow gauge. Being a widely used chemical, it makes a good industry for intra-line shipments. Technical Information Uses Lime Industry on the C&BFT The Crediblity Test TECHNICAL INFORMATIONLimestoneLimestone is calcium carbonate (CaCO3), which is made up from the deposits of seashells or bone from millions of years ago. It can be a soft white substance (chalk) through to a very hard substance (marble). Most commercial limestone deposits are a softish brown rock. Crushed limestone itself has many uses.Limestone is turned into lime (quicklime, or burnt lime) by roasting in a kiln. The chemical produced is calcium oxide (CaO). Quicklime is caustic, requiring careful handling. CaCO3 + heat > CaO + CO2 A further process involves adding water in a process known as hydrating, which produces hydrated, or slaked lime. Hydrated lime is less caustic than quicklime, therefore easier to handle, but is less effective per unit weight than quicklime, therefore less economical. CaO + H2O > Ca(OH)2
Lime has been a very important material since ancient times, used in the construction industry for mortar and as an ingredient of whitewash. It is also widely used in the refining of metals, particularly steel making, in agriculture, in the food industry, and in the manufacture of cement. In fact it is one of the most widely used chemicals. A list of modern uses is provided at the bottom of this page. Lime was such an important material that lime making became one of the first industries in early colonial Australia. The lack of a ready source of lime was a reason for the abandonment of the first Corinella settlement in 1826. Today lime making is a large industry, requiring immense investments in capital equipment to operate competitively. However even in the 1950's lime kilns employing only a handful of men operated profitably. USESThe following list of uses comes directly from the David Mitchell Ltd. corporate web site at: http://www.davidmitchell.com.au/. One use not mentioned is the use of crushed limestone in coal mines to dampen coal dust, thus reducing the risk of explosion.Agriculture: Lime increases fertilizer efficiency. When you lime an acid soil, you raise the soil pH, raise the levels of calcium and magnesium, accelerate micro-biological activity and increase the rate of release from the soil of organic matter and nutrient elements. Aluminium Industry: Lime helps remove silica from bauxite ore during the manufacture of alumina. Building industry: Lime is used in the manufacture of lime silica bricks, insulation and building board materials. Lime is also used in the mortar to lay bricks and the render of walls. Lime is also added to concrete and plaster to improve their performance. Food industry: Lime is reacted with crude sugar juice for the production of both cane and beet sugars. Lime is an ingredient in baking soda and helps keep fruit and vegetables fresh. Industrial Waste Water Treatment: Lime neutralizes acid wastes generated in industry thereby impeding corrosion and protecting the natural environment. Lime also removes silica, manganese, fluorides, iron and other impurities from water. Metals Extraction Industries: Lime serves as a "flotation" vehicle in the recovery of copper, mercury, zinc, nickel, lead, gold and silver. Paper manufacture: Pulp and paper manufacturers use lime to recover caustic soda during the conversion of wood chips to pulp. Lime bleaches the pulp and also dissolves non-cellulose components of straw and disintegrates it's fibres during the manufacture of strawboard and pasteboard. Pollution control: Lime and limestone are used to absorb Sulphur Dioxide from exhaust gases in smelters and power generation plants. Road construction: Lime converts unstable clay subgrades by breaking down clod formations. It creates soil that will not swell or shrink. It can provide a cementing action that stabilizes soil into a steadfast layer impervious to water penetration. Sewage treatment: Lime reduces pollution by removing organic matter, phosphates and nitrogen from waste water. It prevents over vegetation in streams and lakes, controls odours from waste ponds and precipitates heavy metals Soil stabilisation: Lime can be used to stabalise soil in wet, boggy conditions to allow earthworks to continue. Steel Industry: Lime is used as a flux for purifying steel and for removal of phosphorous, sulphur and silicon impurities. Lime lubricates steel rods as they are drawn through dies to form wire. As a whitewash coating, lime prevents ingots sticking to the molds during pig iron casting. A bath of lime neutralizes traces of pickling acid adhering to steel products. Tanneries: Lime removes hair and plump hides preparatory to leather tanning. Water Treatment: Lime treats potable and industrial water supplies, including drinking water for cities and process water used in industry. It softens water by removing bicarbonate hardness and disinfects against bacteria. The Industry on the C & B.It is planned to have two lime industries "on-line", one off-scene at Walkerville, and a smaller operation on-scene at Almerta East.Walkerville. Lime kilns were established at Walkerville in 1875, and finally closed in 1926. Initially firewood was gathered from the local forests, but after these were destroyed, coke was brought in by sea to fire the kilns. The lime was transported out by sea to markets in Melbourne. At it's peak, the lime industry supported a town of 500 people. Falling demand and high transport costs eventually killed this industry, and Walkerville died. Had the Corinella & Blackwood or another railway actually reached Walkerville, the industry might have lasted much longer. Almerta East A small lime kiln will be placed "on line" at Almerta East, similar to facilities that existed on the Victorian Railways 2'6" gauge Walhalla and Beech Forest lines. Lime Industry Customers. Most product would have been sent to markets off line. The following are some of the online end users of these products: Coal mines: used crushed limestone extensively to dampen coal dust, thus reducing the chance of explosions. Agriculture: used quicklime as a fertiliser. Sugar factory: used quicklime in the refining process. Lime Industry Suppliers. Coal: The only large supplier of the lime industry was fuel. The lime kilns would have been large-scale users of locally mined coal. THE CREDIBILITY TEST1. Time: The lime industry was operating during this period.2. Location: The lime industry operated in the West Gippsland region. Besides the Walkerville kilns, other limestone quarries and kilns are known to have existed. 3. Practice: The VR narrow gauge served this industry, with at least three known private sidings used for this industry. One of these was owned by Colonial Sugar Refineries to serve their Melbourne refinery. The lime industry clearly passes the credibility test. For a change in pace, visit our host:
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