Why is lime analysis useful? What does calcium carbonate equivalent really mean?

What should i expect from good quality lime?

Why is the fineness of lime important?

Why is lime analysis useful? What does calcium carbonate equivalent really mean?
If our soil test report calls for 1 ton of lime per hectare, it is assuming that you are using calcitic or dolomitic limestone which has a calcium carbonate equivalent (cce) of about 90%. If you use another material that has a calcium carbonate equivalent of only 45, then it has only half of the soil acid neutralizing value of normal calcitic or dolomitic limestone and, therefore, twice as much (in this case 2 tons per hectare) should be applied. Our lime quality assessment test tells you the calcium carbonate equivalent of your lime sample so then just divide 100 by that number (100÷x) and multiply it by the lime recommendation from our soil test report to more accurately determine the amount you need to apply per acre. We currently use a default cce of 90, but some limestones are much lower quality so more lime will be needed. Calcium carbonate equivalent is the same as neutralizing value (NV).

What should i expect from good quality lime?
Good quality calcitic lime should have a calcium (Ca) content of > 35% and a calcium carbonate equivalent (CCE) value of > 70%. Normally the magnesium content of calcitic lime is < 1%.
Good quality dolomitic lime should have a calcium (Ca) content of 20-24% and a magnesium content of 10-14%, with a calcium carbonate equivalent (CCE) value of > 70%.

Why is the fineness of lime important?
The finer the lime, the faster it will react in the soil to correct soil acidity. Lime that is made up of big lumps has very little value in correcting soil acidity as it will take years to react. It is expensive to crush lime, so very fine lime will become expensive. It is important to find a balance between the fineness (mesh size) and cost.