calcitebased

Calcitebased, or calcite-based materials, are substances that are dominated by calcium carbonate in the mineral calcite (CaCO3). The term covers natural calcite and its industrial derivatives, including limestone, marble, chalk, milled calcite powders, and engineered composites built from calcite-derived calcium carbonate.

Calcite is a carbonate mineral in the trigonal crystal system. It has a Mohs hardness of about 3, a characteristic rhombohedral cleavage, and it effervesces in dilute acid as CO2 is released. In geology, calcite forms extensively in sedimentary settings and is a major component of limestone and marble; metamorphism can transform limestone to marble.

Processing of calcite into calcite-based materials typically involves quarrying, crushing, and grinding to produce aggregates or powders. It can be calcined to produce quicklime (CaO) and hydrated lime (Ca(OH)2) for cement and mortar, or milled into fine fillers for plastics, paints, paper, and adhesives.

Applications include construction (limestone aggregates, marble blocks; cement lime mortars), industrial fillers and pigments (calcium carbonate fillers in plastics, rubber, and paper; white pigments), agriculture (soil amendment and pH adjustment), toothpaste and food additive uses, and chemical processing aids.

Environmental aspects include the abundance of calcite sources and the carbon dioxide emissions associated with lime production. Some practices seek to mitigate impacts through energy efficiency, the use of byproducts, or mineralization techniques that sequester CO2 in calcite-forming processes.