CALCIUM CARBONATE

~ also known as Limestone; 471-34-1; Chalk; Calcite; Carbonic acid calcium salt (1:1); etc. is the carbonic salt of calcium. It is a common substance which can be found in rocks and is the main constituent of pearls and the shells of snails, marine organisms, and eggs. The global market for Calcium Carbonate is estimated to reach 98.7 million tons by 2020, due to the robust demand from paper and plastics end-use sectors.

Chemical structure: CaCO₃ or CCaO₃. The thermodynamically stable form of CaCO₃ under standard conditions is hexagonal β-CaCO₃, (the mineral calcite). There are other less stable forms, they include; orthorhombic λ-CaCO₃ (mineral aragonite) and μ-CaCO₃ (mineral vaterite).

Properties: calcium carbonate is a white, colorless crystal or odorless powder...