Calcium carbonate can also be reduced under high heat to (also known as "lime"), which has many applications including being a primary component of many forms of .
Colorless or light-colored marbles are a very pure source of , which is used in a wide variety of industries. Finely ground marble or calcium carbonate powder is a component in , and in consumer products such as , , and . Ground calcium carbonate can be made from limestone, chalk, and marble; about three-quarters of the ground calcium carbonate worldwide is made from marble. Ground calcium carbonate is used as a coating pigment for paper because of its high brightness and as a paper filler because it strengthens the sheet and imparts high brightness. Ground calcium carbonate is used in consumer products such as a food additive, in toothpaste, and as an inert filler in pills. It is used in plastics because it imparts stiffness, impact strength, dimensional stability, and thermal conductivity. It is used in paints because it is a good filler and extender, has high brightness, and is weather resistant. However, the growth in demand for ground calcium carbonate in the last decade has mostly been for a coating pigment in paper.
Marble dust and aggregates as industrial 'waste' available in large quantity.
Marble dust and aggregates as industrial 'waste' available in large quantity. |