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Formerly, production of lime was guided by formulas known and passed down from generation to generation. Industrial lime production is now well-established at various locations. Recently an artisanal production, heiress of ancestral knowledge, began to answer the immediate needs of the population of European countries.
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In the Pyrenees, the raw material, the calcareous rock, was abundant. The lime kiln was dug on a sloping ground in order to avoid building a wall around the kiln. |
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The kiln itself was divided into two parts: the hearth and the high part determited by a projection on which to set the vault of the stones to be calcined.
Once the earthwork finished, a layer of clay was spread out over the walls of the kiln to help retain heat.
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The artisans collected limestones and started to load the kiln. |
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The garnishing was a delicate work and even dangerous for the workers. It was a matter of placing the stones to be burnt in balance, without any binder, in order to build a vault above the hearth. |
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When the vault was completed, the artisans filled the kiln entirely so that the flame could pass through the stone layers in a homogeneous way. |
An opening was dug downwards to feed the kiln with combustible materials. |
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This hydration causes the quick disintegration of the stones and produces a strong release of heat.
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The achieve powder is called slaked lime or calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)2 according to the process :
CaO + H2O = Ca(OH)2
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Lime was preserved in a dry place and locked up in containers or in hermetic bags. This process supplied a village with sufficient amounts for its everyday needs.
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Photographs drawn from the documentary series : :
"Petits métiers des Pyrénées espagnoles", Pyrene PV, translation Imagine, Planète.
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