What is a calcium carbonate project report?
A calcium carbonate project report is a detailed project report (DPR) for a plant that makes precipitated calcium carbonate from limestone. The plant burns stone into quicklime, slakes it and reacts it with the kiln's own carbon dioxide. It sets out the process, machinery, raw materials, buyers, project cost, finance, five-year projections, DSCR and break-even.
Promoters use it to choose the grade and capacity and to apply for a term loan; banks use it to test whether the plant can repay from its cash flow.
Also known as: project report on calcium carbonate, precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) plant report, calcium carbonate business plan, DPR for calcium carbonate manufacturing.
Calcium carbonate manufacturing plant cost in India
Our sample report models a precipitated calcium carbonate plant of 31 metric tonnes per day (MT per day), or 10,230 MT a year at full capacity. It runs 330 days a year, starts at 60% utilisation and reaches 80% in Year 5, selling at ₹16,000 per MT ex-factory.
| Land and site development | 40.96 |
|---|---|
| Building and civil works | 172.03 |
| Plant and machinery | 361.17 |
| Other fixed assets | 55.12 |
| Contingencies | 26.66 |
| Preliminary and pre-operative | 16.40 |
| Working capital margin | 38.16 |
| Total | 710.50 |
| Promoter's contribution (25%) | 177.62 |
|---|---|
| Term loan from bank (75%) | 532.88 |
| Cash credit limit (separate) | 114.48 |
| Total project cost | 710.50 |
DSCR, the debt service coverage ratio, shows how many times the cash from operations covers each year's loan instalments and interest. In the sample it never falls below 1.35, which leaves room if limestone or fuel prices rise. Raw materials take 53.5% of sales, the largest cost head.
Term loan at 10.5% with a 6-month moratorium and 54 monthly instalments. All figures are illustrative.
Calcium carbonate manufacturing process, step by step
The sample plant uses the lime kiln and carbonation route. It runs as a closed loop: the kiln that turns limestone into lime also supplies the carbon dioxide that turns the lime back into a purer, finer carbonate.
- Crushing and screening
Limestone is crushed in a jaw crusher and screened to an even lump size, because fines choke a shaft kiln and cut gas flow.
- Calcination
Lumps are burnt with coke in a vertical shaft kiln at about 1,000°C. Every 100 kg of pure carbonate gives 56 kg of quicklime and 44 kg of carbon dioxide.
- Gas cleaning
Kiln gas is cooled, scrubbed of dust and compressed so its carbon dioxide can be sent to the reactors.
- Slaking
Quicklime is mixed with water to form milk of lime, and unburnt grit and sand are removed in a grit separator.
- Carbonation
Kiln gas is bubbled through the milk of lime in stirred reactors; temperature, slurry strength and gas rate set the particle size and shape.
- Filtration
A filter press dewaters the slurry into a cake, and the clear water goes back to the slaker.
- Drying, grinding and coating
A flash dryer removes the remaining moisture, a pulveriser breaks up lumps, and stearic acid is added for activated grades.
- Packing
Powder is packed in 25 or 50 kg HDPE bags and stored dry, because damp PCC cakes and loses its free flow.
Precipitated or ground calcium carbonate: which plant to build?
Calcium carbonate is made by two very different routes, and the choice decides your machinery, cost and buyers. Our sample report covers precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC); ground calcium carbonate (GCC) is a milling business.
| Point | Precipitated (PCC) | Ground (GCC) |
|---|---|---|
| Raw material | Limestone and kiln fuel | White calcite or marble lumps |
| Process | Calcination, slaking, carbonation, filtration, drying | Crushing, grinding and air classifying |
| Product | Fine, uniform, very white particles; light and activated grades | Wider size spread; whiteness follows the stone |
| Main buyers | Paper, PVC compounds, paint, toothpaste, rubber | Wall putty, PVC pipes, detergents, masterbatch |
| Indicative project cost | About ₹5–10 crore for 20–40 MT per day | About ₹1–4 crore for a grinding unit |
| Biggest cost risk | Kiln fuel and limestone purity | Power for grinding and stone price |
Rule of thumb: if your buyers are paper mills, paint makers or cable compounders asking for fine, consistent grades, plan for PCC. If you own a white calcite source and sell to putty and pipe makers, a GCC unit costs far less.
Raw materials for precipitated calcium carbonate
Limestone is the largest raw material cost in our sample, followed by kiln fuel. Because no limestone is pure and some is lost as grit and kiln dust, a plant buys more than a tonne of stone for every tonne of PCC it sells.
| Raw material | Share of cost | Year 3 (₹ lakh) |
|---|---|---|
| Limestone | 52% | 318.67 |
| Coke or anthracite for the lime kiln | 38% | 232.87 |
| Stearic acid for coated grades | 6% | 36.77 |
| Dispersant and process chemicals | 4% | 24.51 |
| Total | 100% | 612.82 |
Stone quality matters as much as price. Iron and manganese tint the product, and silica and magnesia end up as grit, so get a full chemical analysis of the deposit before you fix the site.
Machinery for a calcium carbonate plant
The vertical shaft lime kiln is the costliest item in the sample, at about a quarter of the machinery budget. Kiln size, refractory lining and gas handling are where quotations differ most.
| Machine | What it does | Sample cost (₹ lakh) |
|---|---|---|
| Jaw crusher and limestone screen | Sizes stone for the kiln | 21.67 |
| Vertical shaft lime kiln | Burns limestone to quicklime and CO2 | 93.90 |
| Kiln gas scrubber and CO2 compressor | Cleans and feeds kiln gas to reactors | 36.12 |
| Lime slaker with grit separator | Makes milk of lime, removes grit | 32.51 |
| Carbonation reactors | Precipitate calcium carbonate | 61.40 |
| Filter press | Dewaters the slurry | 36.12 |
| Flash dryer | Dries the filter cake | 43.34 |
| Pulveriser, classifier and coating mixer | Breaks lumps, coats activated grade | 25.28 |
| Bagging and stitching machine | Packs 25 or 50 kg bags | 10.83 |
| Total plant and machinery | 361.17 | |
Costs are the sample report's estimates for a 31 MT per day plant. Get current quotations before you finalise.
Manpower and power for a PCC plant
A shaft kiln runs round the clock once it is lit, so the plant works in shifts. Our sample staffs it with 30 people. Power and fuel outside the kiln come to ₹73.21 lakh in Year 3, or 6.4% of sales, mostly for the compressor, dryer and pulveriser.
| Category | Number | Monthly wage (₹) | Year 1 (₹ lakh) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management, supervision and administration | 5 | 32,500 | 19.50 |
| Skilled workers and operators | 10 | 20,500 | 24.60 |
| Semi-skilled and unskilled workers | 15 | 13,500 | 24.30 |
| Total | 30 | 68.40 |
Wages rise 5% a year in the projections. Kiln operators and a lab chemist who tests whiteness and particle size are the hardest posts to fill.
Licences and BIS standards for a calcium carbonate plant
As of October 2026 no BIS licence is compulsory for calcium carbonate, but pollution consent is, and buyers often test against the Indian Standards for their grade.
| Business registration | Udyam (MSME) registration and GST registration |
|---|---|
| Pollution board consent | Consent to establish and operate from the State Pollution Control Board. Lime manufacturing using a lime kiln, and mineral grinding and pulverising, are both in the Orange category |
| Quality Control Order | Calcium carbonate is not on the Department of Chemicals list of chemicals under a Quality Control Order (QCO), so BIS certification is voluntary |
| Product standards | IS 8767:2020 for precipitated and activated grades for paints, IS 917 for activated grade for rubber, IS 918 for cosmetic grade |
| Factory and safety | Factory licence where worker thresholds apply, fire NOC, and a sanctioned industrial power load; rules vary by state |
Who buys precipitated calcium carbonate?
PCC is a white filler that replaces costlier resin, pulp or titanium dioxide in a product. Buyers judge it on whiteness, particle size, oil absorption and moisture, and they approve a supplier only after trial lots. Once approved, they tend to stay with a source that delivers the same grade every time.
- PVC pipe, profile and cable compounders
- Paint, wall putty and sealant makers
- Paper and board mills
- Rubber goods and footwear units
- Toothpaste and cosmetic makers
- Chemical traders and distributors
Where a new plant wins: PCC is bulky and low in price per tonne, so freight eats margin. A plant close to its limestone and within a day's haul of pipe, paint and paper clusters can undercut sellers trucking from other states.
Mistakes that weaken a calcium carbonate project report
- Checking limestone only for CaCO3 content
Stone can test above 95% carbonate and still give a yellowish product because of iron. The report should rest on a full analysis, not one figure.
- Pricing all output as activated grade
Coated grades fetch more, but most tonnage sells as plain light grade. Revenue should follow a realistic grade mix; the sample uses ₹16,000 per MT.
- Treating kiln fuel as a small cost
Coke or anthracite is 38% of raw material cost in our sample. A report that ignores fuel price swings overstates DSCR.
- Ignoring the buyer approval period
Paper and paint buyers take trial lots before regular orders. Year 1 sales and working capital should allow for that slow start and 45 days of credit.
How NPCS helps you set up a calcium carbonate plant
- Route and grade choiceCompare PCC and GCC, and light and activated grades, against your stone and your buyers.
- Limestone and site checkReview your deposit analysis, freight to buyers and the pollution category for your state.
- Bank-ready project reportProjections, DSCR, break-even and working capital in the format your lender expects.
- Kiln and machinery planningSize the kiln, reactors and dryer for your capacity and compare supplier quotations.
NPCS's published client list includes 4 calcium carbonate assignments and 269 in specialty chemicals, prepared by the NPCS project team led by founder Ajay Kumar Gupta.
What's inside the calcium carbonate sample report
- Introduction
- Uses and applications
- Market potential
- Manufacturing process
- Raw materials
- Plant and machinery
- Land, building and utilities
- Manpower
- Licences and approvals
- Project cost and means of finance
- Working capital
- Projected profitability
- Cash flow statement
- Projected balance sheet
- Depreciation
- Term loan repayment
- Debt service coverage
- Break-even analysis
- Financial ratios
- Key assumptions
- Conclusion
- Monthly loan repayment schedule
19 pages, five-year projections, illustrative figures.
Open sample reportFree sample or a report for your project?
| What you get | Free sample | NPCS report for your project |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity and location | Typical unit | Your capacity, site and state |
| Figures | Illustrative | Built on current prices and quotations |
| Machinery suppliers and quotations | No | Yes |
| Market survey for your region | No | Yes |
| Bank or scheme format (PMEGP, term loan) | No | Yes |
| Use for a loan application | No | Yes |
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Calcium Carbonate project report: frequently asked questions
What is the cost of a calcium carbonate manufacturing plant in India?
It depends on the route and scale. A ground calcite unit costs roughly ₹1–4 crore, while a precipitated plant of 20–40 MT per day needs about ₹5–10 crore including land, building and working capital margin. Our sample report models a 31 MT per day PCC plant at ₹710.50 lakh. These ranges are indicative; a project report prices your own capacity and site.
What is the difference between precipitated and ground calcium carbonate?
Ground calcium carbonate (GCC) is natural calcite or marble crushed and milled to powder, so its purity and whiteness follow the stone. Precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) is made chemically from limestone through a lime kiln and carbonation, giving finer, more uniform and whiter particles. PCC costs more to make and sells to paper, paint, PVC and toothpaste makers.
Which raw materials are needed to make precipitated calcium carbonate?
High-calcium limestone and kiln fuel such as coke or anthracite are the two main inputs, plus water for slaking and stearic acid if you make a coated grade. In our sample report limestone is 52% of raw material cost and kiln fuel 38%. The carbon dioxide for carbonation comes from the kiln itself.
Is a calcium carbonate plant profitable?
In our illustrative sample, a 31 MT per day plant earns a 16% return on investment in Year 3. It breaks even at about 42% of capacity and pays back in about 4.2 years. Actual profit depends on limestone quality, kiln fuel cost, the share of higher-priced activated grades and how quickly buyers approve your product.
What is activated calcium carbonate?
Activated calcium carbonate is precipitated calcium carbonate whose particles are coated with a thin layer of stearic acid. The coating makes the powder repel water and mix evenly into rubber, PVC and other polymers. It sells at a higher price than uncoated light grade, and BIS covers the rubber-industry grade in IS 917.
Is BIS certification mandatory for calcium carbonate?
Not as of October 2026. Calcium carbonate is not on the Department of Chemicals list of chemicals under a Quality Control Order. BIS standards still exist for paint grade (IS 8767), rubber grade (IS 917) and cosmetic grade (IS 918). Many buyers ask for test reports against them before approving a supplier.
Is the calcium carbonate project report PDF free, and can I use it for a loan?
The sample is free to view and download. It is an illustrative report that shows the format and depth of an NPCS report. Its figures are representative and not based on a real project, so do not submit it to a bank. For a loan, NPCS prepares a report for your own capacity, location and lender.
Sources and references
- IS 8767:2020 Calcium carbonate, precipitated, and activated, for paints: specificationBureau of Indian Standards, checked Oct 2026
- IS 918:1985 Calcium carbonate, precipitated, for cosmetic industry: specificationBureau of Indian Standards, checked Oct 2026
- Published standards list including IS 917:1976 Activated calcium carbonate for rubber industryBureau of Indian Standards, checked Oct 2026
- Chemicals quality control ordersDepartment of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Government of India, checked Oct 2026
- Categorisation of industries into Red, Orange, Green and White categoriesPollution Control Board, Assam, checked Oct 2026
The NPCS project team, led by Ajay Kumar Gupta
This page and its sample report are prepared and reviewed by the NPCS project team, which has written techno-economic feasibility studies and detailed project reports since 1994.
Ajay Kumar Gupta founded Niir Project Consultancy Services (NPCS) and leads the organisation. With 40 years of experience in MSME project consulting, he has built the team that has delivered more than 28,000 project reports for clients worldwide, helping entrepreneurs plan and finance profitable manufacturing businesses.
- Published
- Last updated
- Next review
- Oct 2027
- Reviewed by
- NPCS project team
This page is reviewed every 12 months, or sooner when scheme limits, GST rates, BIS rules or pollution categories change. The sample report is illustrative: its figures are generated from industry-typical ratios for a unit of this size, checked so every statement balances, and are not taken from any client project.