The old lime kiln

The concept of kilns for lime is a very old phenomenon. The Romans made use of roasters where they were burning limestone. Archaeologists found in the German Eifel mountains in Iversheim, near Bad Münstereifel, remnants of six lime kilns. These furnaces had a diameter of about 3 feet. In London is out to make writings on that limestone roasters already in the thirteenth century air pollution. It was mainly used in London known for their poor quality. The first reports about the use of ovens in the Netherlands date back to the fourteenth century, from the County of Holland.

The lime burning process shells consist of calcium carbonate (CaCO3, lime). The lime (CaCO3) is in a lime kiln to over 1000 ° c heat. It parses this lime in calcium oxide (CaO) and carbon dioxide (CO2), that evades. The oxide falls into powder and is called quicklime. Quicklime had (and has) many applications. The most was the powdered after extinguishing with water in the building used as a binding agent in mortars.

Many lime kilns are demolished over time because they no longer were in use and had to make place for new construction.

In 2003, there are still some 19 lime kilns in South Limburg. During the first World War the lime kilns had their bloom time. There were then already 8 lime kilns, and there came then another hundred furnaces at which often operated by families. This was the result of a blockage in the supply of cheap lime from Belgium and Germany. After the opening of the ENCI-quarry and factory the production in 1927 goes back strongly and lost many lime kilns. Part of the remaining lime kilns by IKL restored as an industrial monument.

In the surroundingh of Ubachsberg there are still a few old lime kiln.