Did you know that lime is a product of calcination of carbonate rocks and is widely used in various industries. It is one of the most widely used chemical products produced and consumed throughout the world. The largest consumers of these products are the construction industry, pulp and paper, chemical and sugar industries and agriculture. Lime is also used in significant quantities for environmental protection (neutralization of wastewater and flue gases).

The importance of using lime in the mining and metallurgical industries is invaluable. Since it is lime, or more precisely, crushed calcined quicklime carbonate rock, that is the very flotation reagent necessary for the enrichment of polymetallic ore at processing factories.

Lime is also used to neutralize acidic wastewater from sulfuric acid workshops of copper and zinc smelters. Among the main consumers of lime, one can also note the Chadak, Angren and "Khandiza" Mine Administrations. These raw materials are supplied to the divisions of the Almalyk Mining & Metallurgical Combine from the Lime Plant.

As experts said, the technological process of limestone processing consists of primary and secondary crushing in jaw and cone crushers, separation into fractions in screens, and transportation of raw materials to a warehouse. After that, crushed limestone is loaded into a hopper using a grab crane and fed through a feeder into a rotating furnace, where it is fired. At the same time, the entire technological process is automated.

As a result of the expansion of the plant's production capacity, the demand for lime is also growing day by day. Taking these factors into account, the plant is currently constructing a second horizontal rotary furnace line.

Work on the construction of the furnace is carried out by specialists from Section No. 8 of the Specialized Repair Work Department.

The length of the furnace is 65 meters, diameter 3600 mm. After the limestone is fired in the furnace, it enters the cooling section where it cools. At the same time, during the production of lime, lime dust is naturally formed, and cyclones are used to capture it and then discharge it into a bunker.

According to today's estimates, the plant's need for lime is 360 tons per day. With the launch of this furnace, the daily productivity will be increased to 480-500 tons, and the demand will be fully satisfied. The new furnace is capable of producing 10 tons of finished products per hour, i.e. 240 tons per day.

The operation of the rotary horizontal drum furnace is fully automated, and its economic efficiency is high.

Gas and electricity consumption is also fully controlled, ensuring a high quality product. This furnace will be equipped with modern aspiration systems that capture the dust generated during the process.

It is noteworthy that all the parts of this furnace were manufactured under the localization program at the central mechanical repair plant.

The Specialists from the Department of Specialized Repair Works and the Olmalikmetallurgqurilish Trust brought a 13.9 km long high-pressure gas pipeline to the furnace. Currently, TOMK employees are carrying out excavation works at the furnace installation site. It is planned that this process equipment will be put into operation in the coming days.