Angewandte Mineralogie und nichtmetallische Rohstoffe: Nutzung und Umweltaspekte I
651-4097-00L Herbstsemester 2013
Applied mineralogy and non-metallic resources I
November, 28th, 2013
Calcium carbonate
chalk, limestone, marble
Rainer Kündig, Christoph Bühler, Heinz Surbeck
Schweizerische Geotechnische Kommission
ETH-Zürich, NO F35
8092 Zürich
www.sgtk.ch
from: Calciumcarbonate, F.W. Tegethoff (Hrsg.), 2001
Calcium carbonate – minerals
§  important group of rock forming minerals
§  Calcite, CaCO3
§  crystallographic system: trigonal
§  hardness 3; density 2,6 – 2,8
§  cleavability: perfect
§  Aragonite, CaCO3
§  crystallographic system: rhombic
§  hardness 3,5 – 4; density 2,9 – 3
§  cleavability: imperfect
§  Dolomite, CaMg(CO3)2
§  crystallographic system: trigonal
§  hardness 3.5 – 4; density 2,8 – 2,9
§  cleavability: perfect
Calcium carbonate in rocks – formation
§  Chalk Kreide
§  biogenic (sedimentary)
§  soft mud shells of microscopic single-celled organisms,
which was formed in offshore seas
§  approx. 1/2 mm of carbonate shells or carbonate fragments
are deposited per year on the seafloor (1 My = 500 m)
§  pressure and dehydration control solidification of the
sludge to chalk (diagenesis)
§  period of main formation: cretaceous (144-65 My b.p.)
Calcium carbonate in rocks – formation
§  Limestone:
§  anorganic or biogenic (sedimentary)
§  either formed by chemical precipitation of dissolved
Ca(HCO3)2 in water – evaporites
§  or formed by biogenic precipitation as a result of the
activity of living organisms – photosynthesis, metabolism
§  calcareous rock can be eroded, transported and deposited
as clastic sedimentary rocks elsewhere
§  deposition on seafloor (above CCD) and compaction due to
overburden load – diagenesis
Calcium carbonate rock cycle
Calcium carbonate in rocks – formation
§  Marble
§  formed by metamorphic transformation of calcareous
rocks under high pressures and temperatures
§  due to high sediment overburden or tectonic processes
(regional metamorphism)
§  or by heating in contact with molten rock
(contact metamorphism)
§  usually very pure and medium-to coarse-crystalline
(individual crystals are visible to the eye)
calcium carbonate extraction
§  quarries, open pit and mining
Calcium carbonate
– range of application
coarse
fine
Quelle: Calciumcarbonat (F.W. Tegethoff, Hrsg), Birkääuser, 2001
Calcium carbonate – range of application
§  agriculture
… fertilizer, animal feed, deacidification (soils, forest, water), …
Calcium carbonate
Dimension stone, lime(stone), fillers (GCC & PCC; Ground & Precipitated Calcium Carbonate)
Kalkfabrik Netstal (GL): Die mineralischen Rohstoffe der Schweiz, SGTK 1997
Calcium
carbonate
slurries
View of a flotation hall (Omya)
Transportation (challenge)
from: Calciumcarbonat, F.W. Tegethoff (Hrsg.), 2001
Fillers: functional properties (Calcium carbonate characteristics)
GCC & PCC (Ground & Precipitated Calcium Carbonate vs Kaolin & Talc)
GCC
S-PCC
Kaolin
Talc
R-PCC
ISO-Weisse [%]
Brechungsindex
pH-Wert
Abrasion [mg]
Ao-Energie [J/m2]
GCC
Kaolin
Talk
85-97
75-85
70-90
1.65
1.55
1.57
8.6
3-5
7
3-20
10-20
10
75-80
500-600
60-70
Quelle: Calciumcarbonat, F.W. Tegethoff, 2001
common fillers; SEM pictures
a) GCC
d) Kaolin
b) S-PCC (s = scalenohedral)
e) Talc
c) R-PCC (r = rhombohedral)
Calcium carbonate – industrial use
market share and segments
Quelle: Calciumcarbonat, F.W. Tegethoff (Hrsg.), 2001
Quelle: CEN, 1993
Füllstoffverbrauch, Lacke und Farben, Europa, 1998
Calcium carbonate – industrial use
market share and segments
Quelle: Calciumcarbonate, F.W. Tegethoff (Hrsg.), 2001
Source: USGS, 2000
Calcium carbonate & other fillers
particle size
Quelle: Calciumcarbonat, F.W. Tegethoff (Hrsg.), 2001
Calcium carbonate – use & application
Piuskirche in Meggen (LU)
Calcium carbonate – Industry
Omya – Company Profile
World-wide producer of industrial
minerals derived from Calcium
Carbonate, Talc and Dolomite
Global marketing and sales activities to a
broad range of industry segments
(Paper, Plastics, Paints, Construction,
Life Science, Agriculture, …)
Distributor of related third party
chemicals and minerals
World‘s largest supplier of CaCO3
Market leader in coating and filler
products to the paper and board
industries as well as polymer and coating
industries
This document contains proprietary information which shall not be
used and disclosed without Omya explicit written authorization.
Calcium carbonate – application
§  Paper industry: filler & pigments
unbehandelte Papier-Ao
gestrichene Papier-Ao
Quelle: Calciumcarbonat, F.W. Tegethoff (Hrsg.), 2001
www.geologieviewer.ch
www.map.geo.admin.ch
Quarries"
Raw material resources"
actual conflicts... (CH)"
aus: Die mineralischen Rohstoffe der Schweiz, SGTK 1997