Balancing Acidity

The effectiveness of a liming material is dependent upon its neutralising value, the fineness of grinding, reactivity and the relative hardness of the parent rock.

Total Neutralising Value is the amount of limestone (in the form of calcium carbonate) available within the liming agent and hence capable of neutralising acid. 

The Neutralising Value is a measure of the chemical capability of lime to neutralise acid soil. The NV is a comparative measure of a material's liming effect relative to pure calcium oxide, expressed as a percentage.

The effectiveness and speed of reaction of a liming agent may be quantified using a reactivity test that involves the decomposition of the liming material in hydrochloric acid under stable pH conditions. The results are expressed as a percentage and they compare the speed and effectiveness of the sample with pure precipitated calcium oxide. 

The monetary value of any two liming products should be calculated on their cost per unit of NV and full consideration of the differences in speed of reactivity, effect of any impurities, evenness of spreading, fineness and hardness. 

• Calcifert has a calcium carbonate of approximately 98%*
• Calcifert has a TNV of 98.44%*
• Calcifert has a reactivity of not less than 98%*
• Calcifert has significantly greater reactivity (up to 3 times) than other granulated limestone's available on today's market
• Calcifert granulated lime has a fineness of less than 0.150mm or 150 microns (a micron is a millionth of a metre)
• Calcifert is very reactive and has an NV of not less than 51 

*Independent laboratory tests 05.11.10 to 26.11.10