Technological characteristics of the calcined limestone from Agios Panteleimonas, Macedonia, Greece

The gray-green limestone from Agios Panteleimonas is studied in this paper after submitting it in special technological analyses in order to determine the possibility for quicklime production. Cubic test specimens with mean 5 0 mm edge length were calcined at 850, 950 and 1,050 degrees C, with 150 mi n preheating time and 120 min retention time at each calcination temperatur e. At the dissociation temperature of pure calcite (898 degrees C) only one half of the initial limestone has been calcined. The dissociation of the s pecimens started at 740 degrees C and almost completed at 1,050 degrees C. Probably, the large edge length of the cubic specimens and the low retentio n time are responsible for the incomplete calcination at 1,050 degrees C. T he dry apparent weight of the calcined limestone, (1.577 g/cm(3)), its low shrinkage (0.1-0.3%), the 2% impurities content and the 24% value of the at trition and abrasion resistance, characterize this quicklime and classify i t to the high quality products.