Extraction and Use of Dolomite Rocks

Since the mediaeval period onwards dolomite rocks found along Daugava were used in construction of castles and other buildings directly or for production of building materials in lime kilns belonging to towns, manors and private owners. Lime was needed also for production of glass, in metallurgical engineering, leather industry etc. Dolomite rocks are found in some 60 – 65% of terrain in Latvia, especially in the Daugava valley near Salaspils, Lielvārde, Skrīveri, Pļaviņas, Krustpils and Jēkabpils. Only dolomite rocks of the best quality were used for production of lime. Technology of rock extraction up to late 1930s was very simple and manual with few quarries using railway wagonettes drawn by horse power. Typical set of lime factory during the interwar period included one or two ovens and a quarry with some 30 employees. The oven was stoked permanently for a week to reach the temperature of 1000 0C demanded for extraction of lime from dolomite rocks reaching 2 – 2.5 tons of lime production a day.