Limestone

  Limestone  – which is a  sedimentary rock  – is a valuable resource from the Earth’s crust. It has many uses. It can be used as a building material. It is used in the production of cement by heating powdered limestone with clay. Cement is an ingredient in mortar and concrete. Mortar – used to join bricks together – is made by mixing cement with sand and water. Concrete is made by mixing cement with sand, water and aggregate (crushed rock). It is a major ingredient in toothpaste. It can be used as a food additive to provide calcium  ions  for strong teeth and bones. It can be processed as a useful raw material in the chemical industry. It can be used to neutralise acidic soil to allow plants to grow more effectively. This is mainly used for large-scale agriculture. Quicklime and slaked lime can also be used for this purpose, as well as neutralising acidity in water sources such as lakes. Limestone is also used to remove impurities from the blast furnace when making iron. The impuritie