Devonian micritic limestones used in the historic production of Prague hydraulic lime ('pasta di Praga'): Characterization of the raw material and experimental laboratory burning

Abstract

The Devonian micritic limestones from the Prague Basin (Barrandian area, Bohemian Massif, Czech Republic), which were the primary raw material used for natural hydraulic lime burned in Prague, exhibit a feebly to eminently hydraulic character. Based on a laboratory experimental study, the burned product is composed of dominant free-lime (CaO) and/or portlandite (Ca(OH)2), larnite-belite (bicalcium silicate 2CaO.SiO2), and quartz (SiO2) - i.e. phases formed due to the decomposition of carbonate and quartz, present in the original limestones. Proportions of the newly formed phases depend on: the composition of the raw material, maximum burning temperature (the highest amount of larnite-belite appearing at a burning temperature of 1200 °C), and the granulometry of the experimental batches (a coarsely-ground batch exhibited a higher amount of larnite-belite compared to the finely-ground one). The presence of minor phyllosilicates in the raw material contributed to the formation of gehlenite, brownmillerite, wollastonite, calcium aluminate, and/or spurrite.