Hydrated Lime – The White Gold of Industry
More than 55 years ago, my chemistry professor introduced lime with a phrase I’ve never forgotten:“Lime is the White Gold.”
Unlike the glamorous black gold—petroleum—this humble white mineral powers the backbone of civilization.
Back then, I didn’t realize that this “White Gold” would become my lifelong profession. Today, after working with it across industries, processes, and innovation, I can confidently say one thing:
Lime isn’t just a construction material. It is a chemical marvel.
The Birth of HL-13 – Pharma Grade Hydrated Lime
My love for this White Gold inspired me to create a lime product that matched pharmaceutical expectations— high alkalinity, minimal impurities, and precise particle size.
We named it HL-13.
🌟Why Pharma Uses HL-13: (Hydrated Lime 95%+ purity)
- High purity source of calcium
- Reliable alkalinity for fermentative media
- Ideal for manufacturing calcium salts
- Very low heavy metal contaminationFood-safe (yes—even for traditional uses like paan)
🌟HL-06 – Our Lime for the Construction Revolution
Not all limes are created equal. During the cement shortages of the 1980s, families in Pune, Maharashtra found an unlikely hero: HL-06.
We supplied tons of lime to small home builders. It became the backbone for cement blocks, plastering, and masonry—projects that allowed hundreds of middle-class families to build homes with strong foundations.
Today, hydrated lime is still widely used in manufacturing cement blocks on an industrial scale.
🌟Hydrogen with Lime — An Engineering Twist
Chemistry has its beautiful surprises.
When powdered quicklime is mixed with water and aluminium powder, it creates a reaction that generates hydrogen gas. That gas forms air cells inside cement mixtures, producing ultra-light blocks—ideal for high-rise buildings. These are known as AAC (Autoclaved Aerated Concrete) or lightweight aerated blocks.
We supplied truckloads of this raw lime to Siporex Industries, helping them scale the technology in India.
🌟Lime in Heritage Restoration
White gold is not just for factories. It is for history.
For the Archaeological Survey of India, we prepared traditional lime used in the restoration of old forts. Lime mortar ages beautifully—it breathes, flexes, and heals cracks through carbonation.
Over time, the mortar returns to the very limestone it came from. Modern cement doesn’t do that—it cracks and stays cracked.
That nostalgic touch, that original feel, is thanks to lime.
🌟Industries Powered by Lime
Lime is truly everywhere:
📦 Paper Industry-Used in alkaline pulping, bleaching, and chemical recovery.
🏭 Sugar Industry-In sulphitation and carbonation, lime clarifies sugar juice and removes impurities.
🔥 Steel Industry-Acts as a slag former, removing sulphur and phosphorus.
💧 Water Treatment & Effluent Control-Neutralizes acidic waste, precipitates oils and greases.
🧱 Construction & Building Materials-From bricks to whitewash to AAC blocks—lime is unmatched.
A single mineral, infinite applications.
13000 Customers and Counting…
Today, more than 13,000 customers across the world use our lime.
Our team at CWIC handles around 100 enquiries a day—always with patience, enthusiasm, and love for chemistry.
To everyone who trusted us, worked with us, and grew with us—thank you.
🌟A Tribute to the Man Who Named It White Gold
My deepest gratitude goes to my professor at the University of Roorkee. He called Lime “The White Gold.” That name changed my career, my company, and my life. As for the other gold—the black one—petroleum? I happily left it to Mukesh Bhai!
🌟My Final Thought
If chemistry had a storyteller, Lime would be its humble poet.
It turns stone into steel, plant into paper, water into purity, and ruins back into heritage.
That’s why, even after all these years, I still smile when I hear its name:
🌟 Lime — The White Gold. 🌟
– Mr. Prahlad Rai Bhandari(Director)