Lime is made from limestone, dolomite, chalk, shells and other products with high calcium carbonate content by calcination at 900 ~ 1 100℃. Lime is the earliest cementing material used by human beings. Lime is widely used in civil engineering and medicine in China.

Lime is strongly alkaline, and can react with glassy activated silica or activated alumina at room temperature to produce hydraulic products, resulting in cementation. Therefore, lime is still an important raw material for building materials industry.