The company has an 8 km access line to the Pakruojis railway station.

Different types of crushed dolomite and granite have been produced by the company for years. Dolomite is the main raw material used. A dolomite bed lies close to the river Musa. The layer with an average thickness of 6.6 m has now been exploited. The mean thickness of the stratum is 5 km. The dolomite reserve in the pit is about 27 million m3.

The new crushed stone production line was erected and started operating in 1983. The line is designed to handle 1,000,000 tons of crushed material per year.

After the covering layer is taken away, the second step in preparing dolomite rock is drilling and blasting. Then excavators are loaded with dolomite trucks which take material to the factory. Later the rock has to be crushed, sorted and washed. Water has been drawn from ponds in the used pits and supplied by water pipes to the factory. The used water is returned to the sedimentation tank.

Washed chips of dolomite and granite (0.16-5 mm, 5-8 mm, 8-11 mm and 11-16 mm fraction) are used for production of asphalt mixes and for improvement of surfaces on motorways along with bitumen dilute and bitumen emulsion. Chips of 16-32 mm and 36-35 mm fractions are used for basic pavement on motorways. Granite chips of 2 mm and 2-5 mm fraction are used for smoothing construction work. All the company's products meet the requirements of European Standards.

Besides the main production, Klovainiu skalda provides loading-unloading, and warehouse, and other services. About 150 freight cars can be accommodated on the firm's railway. Dolomite flour used for fertilisers is also made in the plant. A decorative ceramic shop was established in the plant just a few years ago.

The general program of using dolomite in Lithuania was started in 1992. After this program is put into practice in Lithuania it will not only provide a great deal of useful material we are currently importing but will also provide material for export.

For the time being only non-processed dolomite is used in Lithuania (decorative slab, crushed stone, sand, etc.). But this is not the most economical and efficient use of dolomite. It is possible to obtain a new material after burning dolomite at 700-1200°C. Chemical processing produces chloride of magnesium, oxide of magnesium and later even metallic magnesium. There is a wide future for dolomite in the production of fire-resistant material but, because of lack of investment, all these technologies have been developed and tested in the laboratory only.

AB Klovainiu skalda
Klovainiai village
LT-5220 Pakruojis
Lithuania

Tel. 370 91 51496
Fax 370 91 48540

The Board (from left to right):
Mr Virmantas Puidokas, Mr Gediminas Rudzevicius, Mr Albertas Vosylius Chairman and Mr Danielius Makulavicius.