How limestone is quarried
A quarter of all sedimentary rock is carbonate, and the white filler in toothpaste is often ground limestone.
- stations
- 3
- things downstream
- 447
The short version
Limestone is a rock made mostly of calcium carbonate that settled out of water, often with help from shells and corals. Quarries drill holes in the rock face, blast it into pieces and crush it to size. The crushed stone becomes road base, cement and the lime used in steelmaking and agriculture.
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Drill the quarry face
Holes are drilled into the rock and loaded with explosives. Limestone is normally worked in open quarries, one bench at a time.
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Blast it loose
A controlled blast cracks the face into truck-sized blocks and smaller pieces. Loaders scoop the broken rock and haul it to the crusher.
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Crush and sort
Jaw and cone crushers reduce the rock in stages, and screens sort the pieces into sizes. Large pieces go on to a kiln for lime or cement, and smaller grades are sold as aggregate.
End of the lineLimestone
Next it goes into toothpaste, quicklime, soda ash and 15 more.
Worth repeating
- Limestone is mostly calcite and aragonite, two crystal forms of calcium carbonate.
- Ground fine, it is the white pigment or filler in toothpaste and paint.
- It is also an additive in glass making, paper and plastics.
Where it goes next
Limestone feeds 18 lines directly and reaches 447 things in total.
ToothpasteQuicklimeSoda ashFiberglassPig ironChromiumGlassWindow glassGlass bottleCementGlass marbleBaking sodaChewing gumCarbon dioxideAsphalt shingleVinyl flooringStained glassPaper
Further down the line
SugarTortillaLaundry detergentSmartphone cover glassInstant noodlesPrinted circuit boardWind turbineSurfboardSkiSnowboardFishing rodKiteCanoeSailboatUmbrellaCast iron panCar enginePianoDumbbellHip implantHard driveSafety pinRazor bladeFaucetTurbine bladeToasterIce skatesHeart stentWrenchDigital thermometerLCD screenOLED screenCamera sensorSolar panelMicrowave ovenMechanical wristwatchOptical fiberEyeglass lensSunglassesIncandescent light bulbGlass jarWater heaterBowling ballSnow globeCeramic floor tileNeon signSmartwatchE-readerMirrorSkyscraperWindshieldDouble-glazed windowNail polishPerfumePenicillinInsulinmRNA vaccineKetchupColaSparkling waterBeerWineChampagneWhiskeyVodkaGinRumTequilaSakeHard ciderHot sauceSodaRoot beerKombuchaTonic waterBourbonScotch whiskyCognacMezcalMeadPort wineProseccoNon-alcoholic beerWashing machinePretzelFrozen pizzaBagelCrackersCake mixFire extinguisherAspirinFertilizerDecaf coffeePopping candyEnergy drinkLight beerSoapAdhesive bandageAA batteryVacuum cleanerDrywallMicrowave popcornCrayonFireworksPlastic strawPaper strawPaper cupPaper bagPizza boxEgg cartonWallpaperLaminate flooringBoard gameJigsaw puzzleTamponSanitary padCotton swabLoudspeakerVinyl recordCompact discInkjet printerNewspaperBookEnvelopeSticky notesPlaying cardsToothbrushLithium-ion cellElectric car batteryTelevisionElectric motorElectrical transformerRebarSteel I-beamRailroad railScissorsSteel pipePadlockBall bearingAirlinerContainer shipShipping containerLocomotiveBicycleMotorcycleElevatorSkateboardDrum kitRubik's CubeOak wine barrelDishwasherOffice chairGolf clubYo-yoHarmonicaSaxophoneDie-cast toy carDental flossWheelchairBarbed wireHammerDrill bitGas cylinderSpark plugSeat beltSubway trainLeather beltHard-shell suitcaseHigh heelsEyeglass frameUSB cableElectric toothbrushMicrochipLEDSewing needleGold ringFountain penGold barOlympic-style medalSmoke detectorSolar cellCoinTrumpetVacuum flaskFluteLight switchVitamin C tabletBrown sugarYogurtIce creamMayonnaisePeanut butterCroissantDonutSandwich cookieCorn flakesBaconChocolateGummy bearsMarshmallowJelly beansCandy caneCotton candySprinklesCondensed milkPicklesKimchiJamHazelnut spreadImitation crabSalamiHamBeef jerkyCanned meatWhite chocolateCandy-coated chocolateLicoriceCaramelLollipopToffeeGelatin dessertCough syrupGelatin capsuleBanknoteKitchen spongeToilet paperFacial tissueDisposable diaperBaseballBasketballTennis racketAmerican footballLeather glovesLeather handbagLeather walletHiking bootsDigital cameraLeather shoeSmartphoneHearing aidPacemakerLED light bulbLaptopSolid-state driveComputer keyboardComputer mouseCamera droneSatelliteCarElectric carAirbagOrbital rocketBlenderCeiling fanTreadmillPinball machineWireless earbudsPhone chargerVideo game consoleWi-Fi routerGraphics cardRemote controlSyringeElectric kettleKitchen knifeStainless steel forkStainless steel water bottlePressure cookerAsthma inhalerJet engineMustardJarred salsaSauerkrautAluminum window frameShampooDeodorantAir freshenerDish soapHairsprayFoundation makeupRefrigeratorAir conditionerDoor hingeSaw bladeShovelWheelbarrowBrake padTin canCanned tunaWire ropeNailScrewPaperclipTireAcoustic guitarElectric guitarViolinBallpoint penClothespinStapleSofaDartboardSlinkyCelloGuitar stringBoltSteel chainCoil springChain-link fenceSuspension bridge cableMattressRoller skatesLipstickPencilAluminum foilNonstick panAluminum canEraserEyeshadowProsthetic legAluminum ladderMicrophoneCamera lensZipperN95 maskCredit cardDiceShoelaceDuct tapePlastic wrapClear adhesive tapeTrading cardsHair dyeCardboard boxMatchPlastic bottle3D printer filamentBottled waterUnderwearLeggingsSwimsuitPaintBaby formulaCoconut milkCanned soupAction figurePower outletCondomGarden hoseKeyFlagInsect repellentDown jacketRaincoatBackpackJeansBreadChicken nuggetsBaguetteSourdough breadFish sticksModeling compoundPlastic bagNitrile gloveCandleZip-top bagPillowMouthwashSoccer ballMarker penHighlighterVolleyballWet wipesHoodieCurtainsSneakerButtonTeddy bearSunscreenBleachGolf ballWooden chairBilliard ballFashion dollDress shirtTailored suitBaseball capBike helmetSilk tieFelt hatWool blanketT-shirtSocksWool sweaterBath towel
Keep walking
Sources
Cite this page: "How limestone is quarried." Assembly Line, 2026-11-03. https://assemblyline.org/make/limestone