Published in the August 2007 American Longwall Magazine

W.K. Merriman says its lime slurry, manufactured by Chemical Lime Company, is low cost, easy to use and versatile, all adding up to savings and increased performance and safety for operators.

To keep costs down, the company has terminals in strategic locations from the Mississippi River to the East Coast, and the slurry is manufactured to specifications maintaining the solids at 30%-40%. Calcium hydroxide also has a history of stable pricing - ensuring customers can establish and manage operating budgets.

To get started, operators require an agitated tank for storage and feed. W.K. Merriman says calcium hydroxide slurry feed is reliable; there are no problems with bridged silos, plugged feeds or fugitive dust - sometimes associated with hydrated lime or calcium oxide. Associated maintenance costs, manpower and processing time are also reduced.

The company said lime slurry also provides several environmental and safety advantages over caustic soda, hydrated lime and calcium oxide. W.K. Merriman says its product is non-hazardous, simplifying transportation, storage and handling. Fugitive dust is eliminated, so there is no need for an air permit and the potential for injuries associated with blending dry lime is eliminated.

The company currently supplies lime slurry at an inactive minesite in West Virginia. After making the switch, the mine said it had seen cost savings and improved water quality in its ponds.

The company is in the trial stages of converting an active minesite in West Virginia from caustic to lime slurry. In just one week the mine saw cost savings and increased metals removal in its discharge.