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| Tuesday, 28 September 2004 |
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Produce lime from minerals to save corals - Senior researcher by Ramani Kangaraarachchi Lime could be produced from various forms of calcareous deposits in Sri Lanka in order to save corals which are valuable resources to the marine aquarium trade, a senior researcher and former Head of the Buildings Materials Division National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) N.B.M. Ranatunga said. He said that extracting and burning coral stones to produce lime has reached a crisis level and an alternative source has to be found urgently. The inability to provide a suitable alternative to coral lime is a major drawback on the prevention or restriction of coral mining. Lime, however, could be produced from minerals called crystalline (dolomitic) limestone. Dolomite based building lime has been used from very ancient times and it could be used better with developed technology according to Ranatunga. Sedimentary Miocene Limestone, Coral deposits (Inland), Shell deposits and Calcite are other types of calcareous deposits available. The sedimentary limestone deposits of the Miocene age are best developed in the Jaffna peninsula where it comes as a hard compact mineral. It is also available in the coastal belt stretching to Puttalam, South West Aruwakkalu and Dutch Bay, he said. The reserves of inland coral deposits from Ambalangoda to Matara are sufficient only for six years and it is necessary to find alternative resources before the few available deposits are completely depleted. Reserves of shell deposits from Hungama to Hambantota may also not be sufficient for another large scale lime plant as a factory producing very good quality lime has already been set up and operated by Lanka Ceramic Ltd. Calcite should also best be reserved for the ceramic industry because of high quality, he said. The use of explosives for fishing, netting for reef fish and lobsters, damage caused by glass bottom boats and anchor chains, clearing of coral reefs for the passage boats, extraction of corals and coral sand for aquariums for souvenir collections also destruct corals. However, this wonderful gift of nature should be preserved for posterity without destroying it for low commercial gains, he said. |
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