en.Wedoany.com Reported - Lime producer Calidra has announced it will build a new Maerz kiln at its La Laja plant in the province of San Juan, Argentina, to expand lime production capacity, primarily serving mining customers. The project has entered the engineering and planning phase, with construction scheduled to begin in 2027. The investment is approximately US$30 million, and upon completion, it will produce 600 tons of calcium oxide per day, equivalent to an annual capacity of approximately 219,000 tons.
Once the kiln is operational, Calidra Cono Sur's total lime production capacity will exceed 1 million tons per year. This will be the group's sixth kiln deployed in Argentina using Maerz technology, whose calcination system is based on Swiss Parallel Flow Regenerative (PFR) technology, designed to enhance energy efficiency and reduce fuel consumption.
Calidra stated that this move aims to align with the anticipated growth of the mining sector in Argentina and Chile, particularly the progress of copper and lithium projects driven by the Large Investment Incentive Regime (RIGI). Lime is a key raw material used in mining for flotation, pH control, water treatment, and metallurgical processes, and the expansion of mining projects directly drives demand for industrial products like lime.
This expansion project comes during a period of growth in Argentina's mining exports. Industry forecasts indicate that mining exports will continue to rise in the coming years with the development of new metal deposits and lithium mines. In addition to the new kiln, Calidra continues to invest in infrastructure, automation, and operational improvements in Argentina and Chile. The announcement was made during the Expo San Juan Minera.
The Maerz kiln is a high-efficiency, double-shaft vertical kiln specifically designed for calcining limestone and dolomite to produce highly reactive quicklime. It utilizes Swiss PFR technology, alternating combustion between the two shafts every 15 to 20 minutes, thereby achieving maximum energy savings.
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