Idwala Lime
Idwala Lime is the largest mining and processing operation of Idwala. Located near Danielskuil in the Northern Cape Idwala Lime’s mine holds high-grade Calcitic Limestone.
The process of extracting and producing lime products begins at the open cast mine where benches are created by blasting so that fragmented material can be released from the ore body. This material is then put through a series of crushing and screening processes which reduce the fragments to sizes suitable for burning in our kilns.
The Limestone is calcined (burnt) in either of our two rotary kilns or two shaft kilns at temperatures of between 900-1200 degrees centigrade during which time the carbonate is converted into oxide (CaO or CaMgO2) and CO2 is released.
Burning is the key process in the production of lime converting stone into a product that is widely used in our modern world.
At every stage of the production process the material is subject to rigorous quality control with the final product being tested with state-of-the-art analytical technologies, ensuring a world-class product on which our customers they can rely.
Idwala Lime: Danielskuil
Ouplaas Factory, Industrial Area,
Danielskuil
1975
The first two rotary kilns were long FLS units which started production in 1975. Each had a design capacity of 700 tons per day.
1981
Beckenbach shaft kilns were erected, each with a capacity of 350 tons per day.
1984
Kiln 7 – A modern KVS pre-heater rotary kiln with a design capacity of 1000 tons per day was commissioned.
SABS SANS 523-2009 was registered on 8 November 1984.
1994
ISO 9001 accreditation was registered on 23 September 1994.
1997
Kiln 8 – A modern KVS pre-heater rotary kiln with a design capacity of 910 tons per day was commissioned.
2004
ISO 14001 accreditation registered on 5 May 2004.
BH OHSAS 18001: 2007 was registered on 5 May 2004.
2006
In order to reduce the tons mined an optical sorting plant was commissioned which enabled the operation to recover good quality limestone from the mining process that was previously discarded.