Dolomitic Limestone is mined in Rockwell Lime Company's on-site open pit quarry.  The limestone is drilled and blasted.  The material is then hauled to the crusher where it is crushed and screened.  The screened limestone is then hauled to stockpiles, where it is stored according to size.

Rockwell Lime Company sells the limestone for use in road construction, concrete and landscaping.  Some of the limestone is conveyed to the stone tanks on ground level.  These tanks feed the rotary kilns.  In the kilns, the limestone is calcined into quick lime as shown in the following equation.

CaCO₃•MgCO₃ + heat -----> CaO•MgO + 2CO₂

The temperature, speed of rotation, and stone feed rate all determine the degree of calcination.  The quick lime is tested on the Kiln Burning Floor and samples are taken for further testing in Rockwell Lime Company's Quality Assurance/Quality Control Lab.

Quick lime is sold to act as a flux and remove impurities in the manufacture of steel.  Quick lime is also used for other industrial purposes.

Quick lime is conveyed to the storage tanks to feed the hydrator.  From these tanks, the quick lime is mechanically conveyed into the pressure hydrator.  Water is added and the quick lime is converted to hydrated lime.

CaO•MgO + 2H₂O + pressure  ----- > Ca(OH)₂•Mg(OH)₂

The hydrate operators analyze the hydrated lime and if necessary samples are taken for further analyses by Rockwell Lime Company's Quality Assurance/Quality Control Lab.

The hydrated lime is mechanically conveyed to storage tanks.  These tanks supply the bulk loading tank and the bagging department tanks.

In the bagging department, the hydrated lime is bagged according to specifications using automatic bagging equipment.  Samples are taken per customers' requirements for analyses by Rockwell Lime Company's Quality Assurance/Quality Control Lab.