Lime ECCE & What Your Lime Really Does
Computes effective CCE
Two limes at the same price are not the same lime. Enter your source's CCE (purity) and sieve analysis to get its real ECCE = CCE × fineness efficiency, the adjusted rate to match a pure-CaCO₃ target, and how fast it reacts — so you buy neutralizing power, not tonnes of inert rock.
Enter your lime source
Fractions sum to 1 — they are auto-normalised to 1 for the calculation.
Next: this lime is coarse — only 43% of its carbonate will ever react, so you must spread 9.78 t to do the job of 4 t of pure lime. Ask the supplier for a finer grind (more < 60 mesh) or a higher-ECCE product, and compare on cost per ECCE-tonne, not cost per tonne.
ECCE = CCE (purity) × fineness efficiency, where each sieve class carries a reaction-efficiency factor (> 8 mesh ~ 0%, 8–20 ~ 20%, 20–60 ~ 50%, < 60 mesh ~ 100%). The reaction timeline puts the fast (fine) pool in year 1 and finishes the slow remainder over ~3 years. Sources: Ohio State Univ. Extension Bull. 472 (Effective Neutralizing Power), Penn State Agronomy Guide, UW A2523. A planning estimate — use your supplier's lime-quality report for grading-grade numbers.
Lime ECCE — key facts
- Formula
- ECCE % = CCE × fineness efficiency
- Adjusted rate
- target ÷ (ECCE ÷ 100)
- Pure CaCO₃
- CCE = 100%, the reference
- > 8 mesh
- ≈ 0% efficiency (inert)
- < 60 mesh
- ≈ 100% efficiency (full)
- Reaction
- fines in year 1, rest over ~3 yr
- Buy on
- cost per ECCE-tonne, not per tonne
- Privacy
- Runs in your browser; nothing uploaded
Liming materials — CCE, reactivity & fineness
Reference CCE (neutralizing value) and typical fineness profiles by material. CCE values from Ohio State Univ. Extension Bulletin 472 (Effective Neutralizing Power), the Penn State Agronomy Guide and UW A2523. Sieve-class efficiency factors below.
| Material | Typical CCE | Reactivity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calcitic aglime (ground limestone) | 95% | moderate | Most common field lime; quality is set mostly by how finely it is ground. |
| Dolomitic limestone (Ca-Mg) | 105% | slow | Adds magnesium; harder stone so it reacts a little slower than calcitic. |
| Hydrated lime (Ca(OH)₂) | 130% | very fast | Caustic powder, reacts within weeks; high CCE but harsh to handle. |
| Burned lime / quicklime (CaO) | 170% | very fast | Highest neutralizing value per tonne; very caustic, fast acting. |
| Pelletized lime | 95% | fast | Finely ground lime bound into pellets that break down to powder — spreads cleanly, acts fast. |
| Marl (soft lake/shell deposit) | 80% | fast | Soft, naturally fine carbonate; lower purity but reactive. |
| Wood ash | 50% | fast | Variable, low CCE; also supplies potash. Test before relying on it. |
Sieve-class reaction-efficiency factors
| Sieve class | Mesh | Reaction efficiency | Reacts in year 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coarser than 8 mesh (> 2.36 mm) | > 8 mesh | 0% | 0% |
| 8–20 mesh (0.85–2.36 mm) | 8–20 mesh | 20% | 20% |
| 20–60 mesh (0.25–0.85 mm) | 20–60 mesh | 50% | 50% |
| Finer than 60 mesh (< 0.25 mm) | < 60 mesh | 100% | 100% |
What is effective neutralizing value (ECCE)?
When you lime a field you are trying to neutralize soil acidity, and only two things decide how much acid a tonne of lime can neutralize: how pure it is and how finely it is ground. Purity is captured by the CCE (calcium carbonate equivalent) — the neutralizing value relative to pure calcium carbonate. But a lime can be chemically pure and still mostly useless if it is full of coarse chips that never dissolve. That is why states grade lime on its effective value: ECCE = CCE × fineness efficiency.
This tool stacks each sieve fraction's contribution into a single ECCE bar — the greyed top is the neutralizing value lost to coarse, slow particles — and draws a multi-year reaction timeline that steepens as the lime gets finer. It then converts your pure-CaCO₃ lime-requirement target into the adjusted tonnage of this specific product, so you spread the right amount and judge competing limes on cost per ECCE-tonne. Pair it with the Lime Requirement, Buffer pH Lime and Liming Material Comparison calculators.
How to use it — 5 steps
- 1
Pick the material
Choose calcitic, dolomitic, hydrated, pelletized or another source to load typical CCE and fineness.
- 2
Enter CCE and sieve analysis
Type the purity and the mass fraction in each sieve class from your lime-quality report.
- 3
Set the target rate
Enter your lime-requirement target on a pure-CaCO₃ basis (e.g. from a buffer-pH test).
- 4
Read ECCE and the adjusted rate
See ECCE = CCE × fineness and the adjusted tonnage to deliver the target.
- 5
Plan the reaction
Use the year-1 reacted share to schedule incorporation and a pH re-test in 6–12 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ECCE (effective calcium carbonate equivalent)?+
ECCE is a lime's real neutralizing power once you account for both its chemical purity and how finely it is ground. The formula is ECCE % = CCE × fineness efficiency, where CCE (calcium carbonate equivalent) is purity vs pure CaCO₃ and fineness efficiency is the mass-weighted share of particles fine enough to react. A lime can have 95% CCE but only 60% ECCE if a third of it is too coarse to dissolve.
How is the adjusted lime rate calculated?+
Divide your target pure-CaCO₃ rate by the lime's ECCE expressed as a decimal: adjusted rate = target rate ÷ (ECCE ÷ 100). For example, a 4 t/ha pure-lime target met with a 62% ECCE source needs 4 ÷ 0.62 = 6.45 t/ha. The lower the ECCE, the more tonnes you must spread to get the same pH change.
Why does particle size matter so much for lime?+
Lime neutralizes acidity only at the surface of each particle, so finely ground lime dissolves and reacts far faster and more completely. By a standard convention, material coarser than 8 mesh barely reacts (≈ 0% efficiency), 8–20 mesh is partial (≈ 20%), 20–60 mesh is about 50%, and material finer than 60 mesh reacts essentially 100%. Coarse lime is mostly inert filler you are paying to haul.
What is a good ECCE for ag lime?+
Higher is better. An excellent lime has a fineness efficiency above 85% and an ECCE close to its CCE; a poor lime wastes a large share to coarse particles. Many states sell lime on a guaranteed minimum ECCE (sometimes called ENP or ENV) precisely so buyers compare neutralizing power rather than just price per tonne.
Should I buy the cheapest lime per tonne?+
No — compare cost per ECCE-tonne. A cheap, coarse 50% ECCE lime can cost more per unit of actual neutralizing power than a finer, pricier product, because you must spread and haul twice as much. Divide the delivered price per tonne by the ECCE fraction to get the true cost of neutralizing acidity.
How fast does lime react in the soil?+
The fine fraction reacts within the first season, so a finely ground lime can shift pH measurably within 6–12 months, while coarse particles keep reacting for two to three years. The calculator's timeline puts the fast (fine) pool in year 1 and finishes the slow remainder over roughly three years, steepening as the lime gets finer.
What is the difference between CCE and ECCE?+
CCE (calcium carbonate equivalent) is purely a chemistry number — the neutralizing value of the material vs pure CaCO₃, ignoring particle size. ECCE multiplies CCE by the fineness efficiency to capture how much of that chemistry will actually react in a reasonable time. ECCE is always less than or equal to CCE.
Does dolomitic lime have a higher CCE than calcitic?+
Often, slightly. Pure dolomite (CaMg(CO₃)₂) has a CCE around 108 because magnesium carbonate neutralizes more acid per unit weight than calcium carbonate, so field dolomitic lime is typically 95–108% CCE versus 85–100% for calcitic. Dolomite is harder, though, so it tends to react a little slower at the same grind.
Is hydrated or burned lime worth the higher price?+
They have very high CCE (≈ 120–135% for hydrated lime, ≈ 150–179% for burned/quicklime) and react within weeks because they are fine and chemically active, so you spread far fewer tonnes. They are caustic and harder to handle, so they suit fast pH correction or small areas more than routine field liming.
What sieve sizes do I enter?+
Enter the mass fraction of your lime in each US-standard sieve class: coarser than 8 mesh, 8–20 mesh, 20–60 mesh, and finer than 60 mesh. These come from the sieve analysis on a lime-quality or spec sheet. The fractions are auto-normalised to one, and each class is weighted by its reaction-efficiency factor.
Can I use this for pelletized lime?+
Yes. Pelletized lime is finely ground limestone bound into pellets that break down to powder in moist soil, so it behaves like a very fine lime once wet — high fineness efficiency and a fast year-1 reaction. Select the pelletized preset or enter its sieve analysis; its ECCE is usually close to its CCE.
How much lime do I actually need if my report shows 70% ECCE?+
Take your lime-requirement target on a pure-CaCO₃ basis and divide by 0.70. A 3 t/ha target becomes 3 ÷ 0.70 = 4.3 t/ha of the 70%-ECCE product. Always size the spreader on the ECCE-adjusted rate, not the pure-lime number, or you will under-lime and under-correct the pH.