Lime ranks fifth on the global list of most used chemicals in terms of tonnage. It serves as a raw material to a wide range of basic industries on which the world's economy so heavily depends. Lime is an essential raw material in many processes but seldom appears in the final product.

In Southern Africa lime is used in a wide range of applications. The segmentation by industry below summarises the main consumers of lime in the region.

Lime is used in the production or manufacture of steel and ferro-alloys; gold and non-ferrous metals (platinum, zinc, uranium, copper and nickel).
It is also used in chemical industries and other applications. It is used in the manufacture of glass, sugar, paper, animal feeds and calcium carbide. Lime has building applications in mortars and plasters, in addition it is able to modify clay soils giving them strength and stability to carry roads and buildings.

A growing demand for lime is for use in environmental applications such as water purification, acid neutralisation, effluent treatment, flue gas desulphurisation, and waste stabilisation.

The list is almost endless. The fact is that there are very few material things in our lives to whose manufacture lime has not in some way contributed.