For decades, stone mined at National Lime and Stone in Lima has been used in dozens of ways.
"Typically, limestone is used in all your roadways, parking lots, home buildings, basements, driveways, just about anything you walk on is going to have limestone under it," said Joe Watson, Western Region Director of Sales, The National Lime and Stone.
The quarry has been mined 265 feet into the ground. Now, employees have hit on a type of limestone which is slightly different. The next 80 feet of limestone is what's called agricultural quality limestone and can be used on farm fields to soften the ground and improve fertilizers.
"The chemistry of your material needs to be agricultural lime quality. The high calcium, low mag. (magnesium) that's what they're looking for, and if that's not in your deposit, you're not going to be in the agricultural lime business," said Nick Morris, Western Region Director of Production, National Lime and Stone.
Area farmers, including Lavern Heuing of Celina, came to learn about the company's new venture.
"It definitely helps. All you have to do is put part of the field in with lime and the other part you don't, and you'll see the difference in the crops," said Heuing.
The additional business will bring in new customers, which couldn't come at a better time.
"With the economy being down a little bit and our typical limestone sales being down, this has been a nice addition to our place locally here," said Watson.
The new venture is helping National Lime retain two jobs. The company started processing the lime for agricultural use in May. And, even though West Central Ohio is home to plenty of farms, the company says there's plenty of agricultural lime for area farmers.
"With the next 80 feet we have here, along with the reserves, we won't see it mined out in our lifetime," said Morris.
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