Lime Business
Developing the potetials of Limestone, and giving back human/earth friendly products into society
  Blessing of limestone is something that can not be absent from people's livelihood.Limestone is a resource that is vital to people's life. It is used in wide range of vital items such as steel making, construction material like cement and glass, paper, rubber, plastics, medicines.
 What is required for the lime business is, securing good quality limestone, reliable mining techniques and fine calcination technology. Out of all mineral resources, limestone is the only mineral which Japan, the country poor in natural resources can self-supply and do not have to rely on the export. However, as we continue to mine, the business has to face the tough reality that the resource will eventually run out.
 Mitsuboshi Mining have been mining limestone for over 50years mainly at a mountain called Mt. Kinsho located in northern part of Ogaki city. As we operate the business, we wil be planning the site regeneration plan for when the final time of the mine comes, as well as setting our eye on for the new resource domestically and internationally. Upon finding a new resource, we do not just do a technological transfer but engage in the business activities wishing for the economic development of the area.
Limestone mining with consideration for the environment

Mt. Kinsho which contains good quality limestone within is an unsual urban located mine which is rarely seen in Japan. The mine is surrounded by residential houses, thus we have to pay careful attention to the pollution such as vibration, noise and dust etc. Both Mining section taking care of blasting, loading, transport and Sorting section taking care of crushing, sorting and washing of the stone have to execute anti-pollution measures carefully. We also have to maintain close communication with local residents.

Stock yard at Yabashi Industies

Chau Cuong mine in Vietnam
High level quality management
Even though Mt.Kinsho consists of relatively good quality limestone, the distribution of trace elements varies due to its large mining area. Strict daily quality control enables us to produce limestone products with stable quality. Mining section and quality control section are always closely cooperating in proceeding the everyday operation. Also, we execute various ideas in order for us to make use of limestone with all quality.

Quality control

Limestone
Expanding the technologies nurtured in Japan to Asia
All the business and technology starts from people. People are asset to the corporation. We believe that the human assets come first, so we protect and nurture people. We deploy the necessary skills for mining such as safety management skills, limestone quality control techniques to Vietnam (Chau Cuong Mine in Nghe An province) to carry out "Safety First" mining as well as creating employments to the local community.

Mitsuboshi Mining in Japan

VINAWHITE in Vietnam
Total resource recycle
We make use of everything we mine from Mt. Kinsho. The surface soil that covers limestone deposit, non-limestone rocks in the deposit, out of spec limestone are all turned into construction and civil engineering materials. Moreover, the mud and limestone particles from washing the stones are dehydrated and utilised as landfill material or as a wide purposed civil engieering material after mixing with quicklime. All materials are used and recycled as precious raw materials.

Filter-press machine

Water treatment plant
Our survey technology being backbone of the mining face management
We carry out mining face management and limestone quality management based on our unique laser range finder based survey technology. Easy and accurate survey makes our daily mining face management easier, and enables us to contrive accurate delivery plan. At the same time, by grasping the accurate location of limestone per quality, it enables us to build the quality database of the limestone.

Mining face in Mt. Kinsho

Mine overview (Vietnam)
Our approach towards the mine greening when we complete the mining operation
We work on our survey and mining plan imagining the state of mine in 10years. The time to close the mine will eventually come and as a preparation for that time, we are working on the site regeneration plan. It is a plan to plant trees and vegitations to the ex-mining site, so that it will be turned into beautiful place for the business operation. We aim to carry out the "Regeneration" in a way that you can feel the humanly warmth whilst you see some hints of limestone mining in the natural sceneries. We are acquiring necessary knowledge in order to reach such goal while Green Court division is engaging in the gardening operation which enables our house customers to have spiritually fulfilling life. As the responsibility of the generation who benefited from the natural resource, we have to draw out even more prosperous future plan of the local area. As Yabashi group we believe that is our "Social Responsibility"

Working on the site regeneration

Researching on greening suited to the local area
In our lime business, our specialists from different divisions of Yabashi group work together to produce and sell limestone, quicklime,slaked lime and other related products
Limestone mining, crushing and pulverising technology
Raw material
Based on the information from geological survey and location etc, we acquire the land and mining rights in accordance with the laws of each country.
Mining
We allocate the necessary heavy machineries for the mining and carry out excavation.
Excavator
・ Dump truck(Mining machines)
Mitsuboshi Mining(Gifu)
Excavator ・ Dump truck
(Mining machines)
Mitsuboshi Mining (Gifu)
Bulldozer (Mining machine)
Mitsuboshi Mining(Gifu)
Bulldozer(Mining machine)
Mitsuboshi Mining(Gifu)

Jaw crusher (Crushing facilitiy)
Mitsuboshi Mining(Gifu)
Crushing
Excavated stones are crushed into required sizes.

Jaw crusher (Crushing facilitiy)
VINAWHITE(Vietnam)

VGI Crushing facility
VINAWHITE (Vietnam)

Jaw crusher
(Crushing facilitiy)
Mitsuboshi Mining(Gifu)

Jaw crusher
(Crushing facilitiy)
VINAWHITE(Vietnam)
Sorting
Crushed limestone is sorted by the sorting screen then the stone is put through secondary and tertiary crushing and screening if necessary until the stone is at certain sizes which varies depending on the usage purpose.

Crushing facility
Mitsuboshi Mining(Gifu)

Corn crusher(Crushing facility)
Mitsuboshi Mining(Gifu)
Corn crusher
(Crushing facility)
Mitsuboshi Mining(Gifu)
Pulverisation・Classification
The limestone is pulverised and classified to produce Ground Calcium Carbonate (GCC) which is in fine particle form. At the production facility, crushing, pulverising and coating process take place.

GCC production facility
Yabashi Industries(Gifu)

GCC production facility
YLTK(Korea)

VGI Crushing facility
VINAWHITE(Vietnam)

GCC production facility
Yabashi Industries(Gifu)


GCC production facility
YLTK(Korea)
Calcination Technology
Using good quality limestone from Mt. Kinsho, we have concrete calcination technologies to operate different types of kilns and produce products which meets your specification. We have developed unique burner which enables us to use various types of fuels to give us highest competitiveness in both quality and cost.
Making use of recycled fuel
At Akasaka division, we have 02 kilns that can use various fuels. This is made possible with our original burner which combines both ideas from operation and our unique technical capabilities. We have established fuel spray technique for each type of fuel.
Calcining small stone
Since the start, our Rotary Kiln has been calcining over 10mm limestones to maintain the air flow within the kiln. However, with improvement in raw material supply to kiln, new cleaning method for Grate type preheating kiln etc. enables us to calcine stones below 10mm. Not only it adds value to below 10mm stone but also it contribute to efficient use of mineral resource.
Calcination to meet the demand
Each of 2kilns we have has specific characters and advantages which we try to make most of by specific combustion controls etc. This result in quicklime with high reactivity and low residual substance or able to control properties of slurry when the quicklime is slaked etc. We carry out calcination to meet your demand on quality.
Maintenance (Kiln repair)
Getting to know our own faclitiies to improve our technical level. We believe the kiln repair that occurs roughly every 10years is a good learning opportunity. As we replace the refractory bricks, we also carry out improvements in facilities, pollution preventive machines and improving efficiency as well as passing the skill down to next generation.
Original kiln development
We are tackling to develop our original calcination kiln so that we can build it in Asia. We are cooperating with academia to make progress on the development.
Hi-tech agriculture
We have started the hi-tech agriculture using large volume of exhaust gas and heat from production of quicklime. This will turn heavy environmental load to abundant resource. We are working on growing tropical fruits in the heated greenhouse.
Quicklime production facilities
Limestones in compatible size with each kiln (vertical kiln and horizontal kiln) are heated to high temperature to produce quicklime.
Maerz kiln
6,000t/month 200t/day×1unit(Gifu)
5,250t/month 175t/day×1unit(Gifu)
Rotary kiln
12,000t/month 200t/day×2units(Gifu)
12,000t/month 400t/day×1unit(Aichi)
Koma type kiln
10,200t/month 70t/day×2units
100t/day×2units(Aichi)
Cokes kiln
1,500t/unit 50t/day×1unit(Gifu)
Processing technology
Developing new usage with the processing technology. Basing from CaO, we carry out various processes to develop new products not only for steel making and paper pulp usage but also to contribute in environmental and medical field as well. We possess various skills and technologies in mixing, pelletising, drying, pulverising, blending, calcination and reaction to produce wide variety of products
Hydration facility
Slaked lime is produced by reacting quicklime and water. "Chichibu hydration facility"
4,000t/month(Gifu)
Hydration facility highly reactive slaked lime
1,800t/month(Gifu)


Slaked lime slurry facility
Quicklime, slaked lime and water are mixed together to form slurry. (Conc. 15%-30%)
PCC powder facility
Quicklime slurry is reacted with CO2 gas, then dehydrated, dried and pulverised to form the product
1,000t/month(Gifu)
PCC Slurry facility
Various sub ingredients are mixed with lime products and dust proof process. "Soil amendment production facility" 3,000t/month(Gifu)
Mixing facility
Various quicklime is mixed with sub ingredients to form the product
「Refining agent production」 1,200t/month(Gifu)
「Briquet production」 2,000t/month(Gifu)
Production facility for solidifier
Various sub ingredients are mixed with lime products and dust proof process.
"Soil amendment production facility" 3,000t/month(Gifu)
Geolime production facility
Geolime is produced at this facility.
2,000t/month(Gifu)


Further processed production facility
CO2 absorbent "Yabashi Lime-f", gas absorbent "Sodalime" are produced at the facility.(Gifu)
Dessicant production facility
Lime based dessicant "Neo Drier" is produced at the facility.(Gifu)


Parc Ace packaging facility
The facility packages sheet form dessicant "Parc Ace"(Gifu)

Yabashi's lime products are
used in following industries
Steel making
Quick lime
<Impurities are removed during steel making process.>
Paper making
Precipitated Calcium Carbonate (PCC)
<Making paper white>
<Surface coating>
Glass
Ground Calcium Carbonate (GCC)  
<Raw material for glass>
<Lowering the melting point>
Plastic・Rubber
PCC
<Filler>
<Reinforcement agent>
Food factory
Slaked lime
<Swege flocculation>
Agriculture
Slaked lime  
<Neutralising acidic soil>
<Promoting decomposition of organic matters>
Food
Quick lime  
<Dessicant for rice crackers etc>
PCC
<Food additive>
Civil Engineering
Limestone  
<Structure material for cement>
<Flagstone for roads><Land development>
Quick lime
<Soil stablisation>
Medical
Slaked lime
<CO2 absorbent>
Hygene
GCC  
<Raw material for breathable film>
<Filler for plastics>
Water treatment
Quick lime・Slaked lime
<pH adjustment>
<Flocculant>
<Deodorisation・Sterilisation> 
Waste treatment
Slaked lime (Highly reactive slaked lime
<Dechlorination of exhaust gas>
Limestone
<Slag basicity adjustment>
<Desulfuration of exhaust gas>