Markets
Agriculture
Limestone produced by Longcliffe brings massive economic and environmental benefits to the whole of the UK. Major agricultural-related uses of our limestone include:
- Agricultural liming & fertilisers
- Animal and pet feeds
- Farming
- Horticulture
Agricultural Liming & Fertilisers
Agricultural Lime is one of the limestone quarrying industry's traditional products, recognised for centuries as an important farming material and still widely used today to help maximise crop yields and minimise the use of other, more costly fertilisers.
Liming is well understood to hold the key to improving crop growth and yields by limiting the adverse affects of high soil acidity (low pH values).
Both ground calcium and magnesium limes are available from Longcliffe. Regular pH testing forms the basis of successful agricultural lime application. Longcliffe offers this service as part of a complete customer support package, along with field mapping and spreading services by tractor or Unimog.
Longcliffe also supplies limestone for the manufacture of granular and compound fertilisers. These are often tailored to particular farm production systems and regional soil deficiencies. Limestone is also used as a carrier in certain agrochemical and pesticide formulations.
Animal and Pet Feeds
Longcliffe is the UK's largest supplier of calcium carbonate to the animal feedstuff industry.
Calcium carbonate plays an important role in animal nutrition as a dietary supplements and an antacid. Our wide range of dried powders and granules are used as a source of calcium and as an inert carrier for vitamins and nutrients. The quality of our limestone deposit is unsurpassed in this country containing nearly 40% elemental calcium - one of the highest levels available.
High purity limestone, with a low level of acid insoluble compounds, is an essential component of feeds for poultry, pigs and cattle. Poultry require grit in the gizzard to assist with digestion and strengthen shells for proper egg production. Calcium carbonate is also used as a fortifier in pet foods and supplements.
Farming
Besides agricultural liming materials and services, Longcliffe offers farmers a range of limestone products designed to improve farm efficiency, including:
- Drainage stone
- Concreting aggregates
- Chatter for roads and gateways
- Lime for cattle bedding
- Walling stone
- Granular material for home-mixed feed rationing
Longcliffe limestone is ideal for drives and cattle ways. These often become rutted, preventing efficient use in wet weather. Longcliffe roadstone provides a reliable all-weather surface at an economical price. We can also supply clean stone for drainage, concreting, aggregates and quarry chatter which is a useful base for new buildings.
Horticulture
Limestone is used by the horticultural industries to neutralise acid soils and as component of composts and soil dressings. It is also sold by garden centres and other DIY outlets under various names such as ‘carbonate of lime’ or ‘garden lime’.
Lime is an important source of calcium for plants and ensures strong growth and fruit and leaf quality. Garden lime is ideal for use on vegetable patches, flower borders, around trees, shrubs, hedges and roses. The product can also be used on lawns to improve grass growth and colour.
Calcium carbonate is also used in mushroom growing in the top-dressing applied to the spawn-run compost on which the mushrooms eventually form.
Natural Chemistry...Pure Science
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