Calcium Carbonate, also known as Calcite, Chalk or Natural Calcium Carbonate, which gets its name from “chalix” the Greek word for lime, is a most amazing and yet, most common mineral. It is one of the most stable, common & widely dispersed minerals on the face of the Earth. It forms oolitic, fossiliferous and massive limestones in sedimentary environments and even serves as the cements for many sandstones and shales. Limestone becomes marble from the heat and pressure of metamorphic events. Calcite is even a major component in the igneous rock called carbonatite and forms the major portion of many hydrothermal veins. Some of these rock types are composed of better than 99% calcite. Dogtooth spar, iceland spar, nailhead spar & satin spar are varieties of Calcite.
Calcite is not the only calcium carbonate mineral. There are no less than three minerals or phases of CaCO3. Aragonite and vaterite are polymorphs (latin for “many shapes”) with calcite, meaning they all have the same chemistry, but different crystal structures and symmetries. Aragonite is orthorhombic, vaterite is hexagonal and calcite is trigonal. Aragonite is a common mineral, but is vastly out distanced by calcite which is the more stable mineral at most temperatures and pressures and in most environments. Vaterite on the other hand is extremely scarce and rarely seen. Aragonite will over time convert to calcite and calcite pseudomorphs after aragonite are not uncommon.
In general terms, Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) is also known as Calcite.
Calcium Carbonate is available in Ultrafine 1 micron, 2 micron, 5 micron, 10 micron, 20 micron along with other custom specifications.Properties / Advantages
![]() | O | High Purity | – | Stable, reproductive properties of end products. |
![]() | O | Good Brightness | – | Neutral white tone, good hiding effect, consistent color of end product. |
![]() | O | Low Moisture Absorption | – | Good molded surface, well suited for paints and coatings. |
![]() | O | Low Iron Content | – | Low Yellowness Index. |
Application Scope
- Used in emulsion based premier paints, powder coating paints, cement paints, texture coatings, cement primers, wood primers, metal primers and many others.
- Used in rigid PVC pipes, footwear, cables and many others.
- Used in rubber industry as bulk fillers.
- Used as glazing material & body constituent in manufacture of ceramic tiles.
- Used in variety of construction products, water proofing compounds, etc.