See what your application supplies. Explore how incorporation depth changes the treated soil volume, and what the evidence tells us about surface application.
Understand the soil, compare the particles, then follow the chemistry. Explore the case for HiCal through Johan Potgieter’s Broadcast Liming Update 2024, with its product specifications used throughout the site and calculators, alongside separate trial evidence.
The HiCal proposition: fine limestone, a distinct available-lime assay and measured soil responses worth assessing where acidity and calcium availability limit the rootzone.
01 / START WITH THE SOIL PROFILE
Where is the constraint?
Texture describes the sand, silt and clay in the soil. Structure describes how those particles form aggregates and connected pores. Compaction can restrict air, water and roots without changing the soil’s texture.
A satisfactory surface pH can sit above an acidic layer. Sample separate depths and identify whether the problem is acidity, compaction, sodicity, salinity or a combination.
The sales conversation
“Let’s identify the depth and chemistry we need to change before choosing the product and rate.”
Illustration of sampling layers. Measure each layer with the same laboratory pH method.
Pore size and lime-particle size are different measurements. A fine particle is not guaranteed to pass through a pore or move to a particular depth. Connected flow paths, aggregation, dissolution and soil chemistry all matter. WA soil-acidity guide.
02 / MAKE THE FINE FRACTION VISIBLE
Show the kilograms below 75 microns.
Smaller particles provide more surface area per unit mass for similarly shaped material. That helps explain why fine limestone can react more readily when it contacts moist, acidic soil. The Australian research below connects particle size with early response and residual value.
The displayed HiCal application supplies about four times as much below-75 µm material in this historical example. That is a difference in fine-material mass, not proof of an equivalent lime rate or four times the field response.
SELECTED SPECIFICATIONS / MASS BELOW 75 µm
Product
Below 75 µm
kg/product tonne
HiCal
16.1%
161
BioLime
14.8%
148
Agri-Cal
27.7%
277
Lancelin limesand
0.2%
2
Dongara limesand
0.9%
9
Boranup limesand
2.0%
20
Slide 7 values except Dongara limesand (2026 techsheet). Slideshow laboratory dates are unconfirmed. The duplicate BioLime supply-format row is shown once. Slide 8 rounds HiCal to 160 kg; the calculation from 16.1% is 161 kg.
Fixed sources, clearly identified.
Slideshow values remain fixed for all products except Dongara limesand, which uses its 2026 techsheet (analysis 3 December 2025, laboratory NW25-00948-S02). This exception includes bulk properties, particle distribution and fraction NV assays. HiCal is 16.1% and BioLime 14.8% below 75 µm. Laboratory sample dates are unconfirmed; these values are not presented as a current-delivery guarantee.
A sieve and a laser describe particles differently.
Dry sieving reports the mass passing specified openings. Laser diffraction estimates an equivalent particle-size distribution from light scattering, commonly reported by volume. Dispersion and particle shape can affect the comparison.
The presentation shows a larger fine fraction by laser diffraction for its HiCal and Agri-Cal samples. It also examines the material below 125 µm in smaller bands. This is a reason to investigate the fine fraction more closely.
The sales conversation
“A single sieve cutoff does not describe everything about the fine material. Let’s compare the same method, sample date and reporting basis.”
Original slide 12 charts. Sample dates, dispersion method, raw results and laser reporting basis are not supplied. The legend in the first chart is ambiguous. These charts are historical illustrations, not inputs to the particle-size calculator, which uses slide 7, and they do not quantify movement through soil.
Dry sieve versus laser diffraction, as presented.The fine fraction contains a range of smaller sizes.
04 / CONNECT THE PRODUCT TO SOIL CHEMISTRY
Capacity, test response and exchange chemistry.
HiCal combines crushed limestone with proprietary treatment technology. Its commercial case brings together the limestone fraction, a higher available-lime assay than BioLime and the compared limesands, and observed soil responses.
PRODUCT CAPACITY872 kg CCE/t
HiCal’s slideshow bulk NV of 87.2% describes its total neutralising capacity.
AVAILABLE-LIME ASSAY1.39% vs 0.10%
HiCal versus BioLime in slide 7 of the supplied presentation. On a common method and basis, the higher assay means a greater measured test response.
SOIL RESPONSE TO VERIFYCa + pH by depth
Measure calcium availability and acidity, with exchangeable cations where displacement is the objective.
Release calcium. Dissolution supplies Ca²⁺ to soil solution.
Change exchange occupancy. Calcium can exchange with other cations; the extent depends on the soil and solution chemistry.
Neutralise acidity. Alkalinity consumes acidity. Calcium exchange alone does not establish a pH rise.
Check the outcome. Test pH and exchangeable Ca, Al or Na at matching depths. Displaced sodium still needs drainage and leaching to leave the rootzone.
The sales conversation
“HiCal gives us a reason to assess chemical performance beyond a sieve-only comparison. The value is the measured change in the soil layer we are treating.”
The available-lime assay is not added to CCE and is not a soil reaction-speed multiplier. The presentation’s generic “up to 8 times” statement is not adopted as a verified HiCal field-efficiency claim. Assay interpretation · Exchange chemistry and measurements.
05 / FOLLOW THE FIELD EVIDENCE
Brookton–Pingelly: a response over time.
The football-club case study in the 2024 presentation reports surface-applied HiCal and repeat soil testing. It provides a practical example of checking the response rather than judging lime from the stockpile.
April 2018Starting pH 4.3–4.5 in CaCl₂, 0–10 cm. HiCal applied at 1 t/ha.
April 2019A further 1 t/ha HiCal applied. Total reported application: 2 t/ha.
February 2020Reported pH range 4.7–5.7 in CaCl₂, 0–10 cm.
Reported case-study pH (CaCl₂), 0–10 cm
Sampling site
Start
Finish
Change
Site C
4.5
5.7
+1.2
Site E
4.3
4.7
+0.4
Different pH changes call for a buffering assessment.
pH measures hydrogen-ion activity. It does not quantify all the reserve acidity that lime must neutralise. These results cannot establish equal acid removal or an exact extra tonne required at Site E.
Before/after case study, not a controlled product comparison. Untreated controls, replication and statistical testing are not provided. Soil-test values are reported for 0–10 cm and do not establish a treatment depth below that layer.
Original slide 15 photographs. Colour indicators illustrate the profile; they do not replace quantitative laboratory testing. The January 2019 photograph predates the second reported application.
Separate evidence at depth: Dumbleyung 2025
The existing trial summary reports available Ca of 18 to 33 mg/kg and water pH of 6.52 to 6.85 at 20–25 cm for untreated versus 2 t/ha HiCal. This is a separate trial with a different pH method. Placement, timing and statistical significance remain unconfirmed in the supplied brochure.
Compare the cost of achieving a defined chemical target at the required depth and time. Start with slideshow specifications, the soil profile, intended placement and a delivered quote.
Compare limesand and crushed-limestone options.
Use current NV/CCE, particle distribution, lime requirement and delivered/applied cost. Incorporation can improve contact with the acidic layer. HiCal’s treatment premium should be assessed against a measurable chemical benefit.
What supports the HiCal conversation?
More below-75 µm material than BioLime and the three limesands in the slideshow comparison.
A higher reported available-lime assay than BioLime and those limesands.
Case-study pH changes and a separate trial recording available-Ca and pH differences at depth.
What defines value for your paddock?
Starting and target pH, sampling depth and laboratory lime requirement.
Placement, moisture, time and the measured calcium or exchange response.
Current product, freight and application prices for the required rate.
“Choose the liming option that delivers the required soil-chemical change at the lowest justified applied cost. Use the whole soil profile and the evidence to make that decision.”
Decision support, not a product prescription. Salinity is not corrected simply by adding lime. Sodium management requires a suitable calcium source and drainage; acidity and aluminium require separate diagnosis. The 2024 deck’s prices and blanket depth/speed claims are not treated as current quotes or guarantees.
Step 1 of 6
Sources and how this walkthrough uses them
Presentation: Johan Potgieter, Broadcast Liming Update 2024, supplied as “LimeUpdate.Lime Tech explained.pptx”. Soil context: slides 4–6; historical product table and mass example: slides 7–8; measurement charts: slide 12; Brookton–Pingelly case study: slides 14–16; product selection: slides 17–19. Only the selected measurement charts and case-study photograph are reproduced here.
The deck is the selected product-specification source except Dongara limesand (2026 techsheet). Its below-50 µm remarks are not substituted for the below-75 µm product data. The slide 7 product table supplies the calculator data except Dongara limesand, which uses the 2026 techsheet; laser estimates are not treated as sieve mass percentages, and the supplied pH-to-ion calculation is not used to infer total soil acidity.
The finest fractions, especially below 75 µm, produced the greatest initial soil-pH increase per tonne.
SUBSURFACE CHEMISTRY
Calcium and alkalinity
Finer particles improved movement of calcium and alkalinity beneath the 0–10 cm incorporation layer.
RESIDUAL VALUE
Benefit persisted
Fine material retained surface-pH benefits at seven years. Most fractions approached similar surface pH around year six; 2–5 mm particles lagged.
Reported dissolution took up to three years at 2.5 t/ha and six years at 5 t/ha. These are study conditions, not a timetable for HiCal.
WHY THIS BELONGS IN THE HICAL COMPARISON
Compare ultrafines separately.
The calculator reports below-75 µm material separately, with selectable larger cutoffs. Use the fine-material mass alongside total capacity and soil-response evidence.
In the slideshow, HiCal has more below-75 µm material than BioLime and these three limesands. Product assays are separate from the research.
This study supports the relevance of fine limestone to subsurface chemistry. The separate HiCal trial records available-Ca and pH changes at 20–25 cm. Neither establishes a HiCal-versus-limesand displacement or reaction-speed multiplier.
Summary based on the publicly accessible abstract; full numerical curves were not available. No reconstructed response curves or new effectiveness factors are used. The study does not test HiCal or its proprietary treatment, nor establish a universal surface-applied movement depth.
Following the MacroPrima planning principle: define the treated zone, calculate soil mass, then compare the material supplied. HiCal is calculated in tonnes and neutralising capacity.
YOUR HICAL APPLICATION
100tonnes for your paddock
Neutralising capacity—CaCO₃ equivalent / ha
Total calcium supplied—kg Ca / ha, not soluble Ca
Selected soil mass—tonnes soil / ha
Potential Ca loading—mg/kg, all total Ca allocated
Capacity and mass balance only. Calcium loading is not a prediction of exchangeable Ca, base saturation, soil pH or sodium/aluminium removal.
What changes with depth?
Compare your selected incorporation and surface-layer scenarios at the same rate.
Both bars assume the entire dose is uniformly allocated to the stated layer. The surface bar is a hypothetical concentration comparison, not evidence that lime has moved or reacted through that depth.
Show the calculation
Soil volume = 10,000 m² × depth (cm) ÷ 100. Soil mass (t/ha) = volume × bulk density. CaCO₃ equivalent = HiCal t/ha × 0.872. Total Ca = HiCal t/ha × 349 kg/t. Potential Ca loading (mg/kg) = total Ca kg/ha × 1,000 ÷ soil mass t/ha. Ultrafines = HiCal t/ha × 161 kg/t. Capacity-equivalent product rate = laboratory CaCO₃-equivalent requirement ÷ 0.872.
These equations assume the brochure analysis applies to the delivered material. Reaction completeness, timing, loss, stratification and imperfect mixing are not modelled in this soil-volume calculator. Compare particle-size estimates separately in the limesand and freight section.
02 / PLACEMENT & DEPTH
How deep does it work?
Incorporation depth is a management input. Surface response depth is an outcome to measure.
Selected mixing / assumed response layerDumbleyung sampled depth, 20–25 cm
Profile to 60 cm. Diagram shows the chosen scenario, not a reaction front.
01
When incorporated
Mixing brings lime into contact with soil at the chosen depth. At a fixed rate, doubling depth doubles the soil mass and halves the average material loading. Actual distribution depends on the implement and mixing quality.
02
When left on the surface
Reaction and downward effects depend on moisture, acidity, buffering, particle size and time. There is no validated HiCal depth-per-year equation in the supplied brochure. The adjustable surface layer above is an assumption you can compare with soil testing.
03
What was measured at depth?
The supplied Dumbleyung means include higher water pH and available calcium at 20–25 cm at 2 t/ha. Application placement, elapsed time and statistical significance are not confirmed in the brochure. This is evidence of a sampled response, not proof of a universal 25 cm surface-treatment depth.
Independent research context
WA research on conventional lime found slow subsurface improvement from surface application and faster correction when lime was incorporated. These findings explain the placement principle; they do not calibrate a HiCal movement rate. Azam & Gazey, 2020 ↗
03 / DUMBLEYUNG 2025
See the measured response.
Control included. Four application rates, with topsoil at 0–5 cm and subsoil at 20–25 cm. Descriptive means reproduced from the HiCal brochure.
2 t/ha VS CONTROL / 20–25 cm
+0.33water pH units+83.3%available soil calcium
These are observed treatment differences, not outputs of the calculator.
Dumbleyung treatment means • source: HiCal v1.2027, page 3
Rate t/ha
pH water 0–5 cm
pH water 20–25 cm
Ca mg/kg 0–5 cm
Ca mg/kg 20–25 cm
HLW change %
Protein %
Screenings %
0 / Control
6.56
6.52
17
18
0.0
9.07
5.96
0.5
6.38
6.58
23
21
+3.5
7.75
2.02
1
6.68
6.76
28
24
+4.9
8.61
4.57
2
6.85
6.85
37
33
+5.0
7.76
2.36
15 plots in three blocks: control n=4, 0.5 t/ha n=3, 1 and 2 t/ha n=4 each. Raw plot data and significance tests were not supplied. Soil method as reported: “2:1 saturated paste extract”; water pH is not interchangeable with CaCl₂ pH. HLW is shown as change only because the original test volume was unconfirmed. No trial yield data are reported here.
04 / SLIDESHOW PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS
Reactivity and capacity. Read them together.
161 kg ultrafines/t
HiCal contains 16.1% below 75 µm in the slideshow. Fineness supports contact and reaction.
872 kg CCE/t
HiCal’s bulk NV is 87.2%. This is total theoretical neutralising capacity.
349 kg calcium/t
Total calcium is 34.9%. The mass supplied is distinct from calcium dissolved or held on exchange sites.
Slideshow values remain fixed for all products except Dongara limesand, which uses its 2026 techsheet (analysis 3 December 2025, laboratory NW25-00948-S02). This exception includes bulk properties, particle distribution and fraction NV assays. Slideshow laboratory dates and assay methods are unconfirmed. These source values are not a guarantee for a current delivery. Download the selected specification data.
FIXED SPECIFICATIONS / DONGARA 2026 EXCEPTION
Product by product. Size by size.
Slideshow values remain fixed for all products except Dongara limesand, which uses its 2026 techsheet (analysis 3 December 2025, laboratory NW25-00948-S02). This exception includes bulk properties, particle distribution and fraction NV assays. These selected values drive all active product comparisons and calculators. Below 75 µm is shown explicitly. These are the slide’s reported product values, not averages across different years.
Particle-size distribution · % by mass · slideshow; Dongara only: 2026 techsheet
Product / source
Below 75 µm
75–150 µm
150–250 µm
250–500 µm
500–1,000 µm
Above 1,000 µm
HiCal · Wanneroo
16.1%
10.2%
19.7%
21%
8.2%
24.7%
Limesand · Dongara
0.9%
12%
54.2%
30.8%
2%
0.1%
Limesand · Lancelin
0.2%
14.1%
55.2%
28.9%
1.6%
0%
Limesand · Boranup
2%
6.1%
33.5%
46.2%
12.2%
0.4%
Bio-Lime · Wanneroo
14.8%
9.6%
19.2%
21.2%
8.7%
26.5%
Agri-Cal · Dongara
27.7%
16.1%
39.2%
15.9%
1%
0.1%
HiCal is 16.1% below 75 µm, compared with BioLime 14.8%. The slideshow reports HiCal’s entire coarse band as above 1 mm; it does not provide a 1–2 mm split. BioLime’s above-1 mm total combines 7.3% at 1–2 mm and 19.2% above 2 mm. Original rounding is retained: HiCal totals 99.9%, BioLime 100.0% and Boranup 100.4%. The Boranup source discrepancy is retained and flagged, not silently normalised. The duplicate BioLime bulk-bag row is counted once. Dongara corrected value: 75–150 µm uses the previously corrected 12.0%, as recorded in HiCal v1.2027, page 2. Below 500 µm totals 97.9%.
Fraction NV and CCE contribution for each product
HiCal · Wanneroo
Slideshow fraction assays
Particle size
Mass %
kg/t
Fraction NV %
CCE kg/product t
Below 75 µm
16.1
161
95.1
153.11
75–150 µm
10.2
102
74
75.48
150–250 µm
19.7
197
83.7
164.89
250–500 µm
21
210
90.1
189.21
500–1000 µm
8.2
82
85.4
70.03
Above 1000 µm
24.7
247
89.9
222.05
Limesand · Dongara
2026 techsheet fraction assays
Particle size
Mass %
kg/t
Fraction NV %
CCE kg/product t
Below 75 µm
0.9
9
81.8
7.36
75–150 µm
12
120
93.2
111.84
150–250 µm
54.2
542
92.4
500.81
250–500 µm
30.8
308
91
280.28
500–1000 µm
2
20
77.2
15.44
Above 1000 µm
0.1
1
Not reported
Not reported
Limesand · Lancelin
Slideshow fraction assays
Particle size
Mass %
kg/t
Fraction NV %
CCE kg/product t
Below 75 µm
0.2
2
Not reported
Not reported
75–150 µm
14.1
141
90.5
127.61
150–250 µm
55.2
552
94.7
522.74
250–500 µm
28.9
289
97.5
281.77
500–1000 µm
1.6
16
92.5
14.8
Above 1000 µm
0
0
Not reported
0
Limesand · Boranup
Slideshow fraction assays
Particle size
Mass %
kg/t
Fraction NV %
CCE kg/product t
Below 75 µm
2
20
Not reported
Not reported
75–150 µm
6.1
61
86.5
52.77
150–250 µm
33.5
335
91.5
306.52
250–500 µm
46.2
462
84.5
390.39
500–1000 µm
12.2
122
64.8
79.06
Above 1000 µm
0.4
4
Not reported
Not reported
Bio-Lime · Wanneroo
Slideshow fraction assays
Particle size
Mass %
kg/t
Fraction NV %
CCE kg/product t
Below 75 µm
14.8
148
96.4
142.67
75–150 µm
9.6
96
73.6
70.66
150–250 µm
19.2
192
82.1
157.63
250–500 µm
21.2
212
87.4
185.29
500–1000 µm
8.7
87
82.7
71.95
1000–2000 µm
7.3
73
86.8
63.36
Above 2000 µm
19.2
192
Not reported
Not reported
Agri-Cal · Dongara
Slideshow fraction assays
Particle size
Mass %
kg/t
Fraction NV %
CCE kg/product t
Below 75 µm
27.7
277
98.2
272.01
75–150 µm
16.1
161
91
146.51
150–250 µm
39.2
392
90.6
355.15
250–500 µm
15.9
159
90
143.1
500–1000 µm
1
10
68.6
6.86
Above 1000 µm
0.1
1
Not reported
Not reported
Fraction CCE = fraction mass kg/t × fraction NV ÷ 100. Missing assays remain unreported and are not replaced with bulk NV. Zero mass contributes zero CCE. Fraction totals and bulk assays need not reconcile.
Slideshow values remain fixed for all products except Dongara limesand, which uses its 2026 techsheet (analysis 3 December 2025, laboratory NW25-00948-S02). This exception includes bulk properties, particle distribution and fraction NV assays. Slideshow laboratory dates and assay methods are unconfirmed. These source values are not a guarantee for a current delivery. Download the selected specification data.
AVAILABLE LIME / THE CHEMICAL DISTINCTION
Higher available lime. A reason to look beyond particle size.
The slideshow reports HiCal at 1.39% available lime: 13.9 times BioLime and Lancelin limesand, each reported at 0.10%. Dongara limesand’s 2026 techsheet reports 0.16%, giving an assay ratio of 8.69. Boranup is reported as 0.00%, so a ratio cannot be calculated. This is a measured product distinction relevant to the reactivity discussion; its field significance must be assessed alongside neutralising capacity, particle size and soil response.
WHAT THE ASSAY MEANS
A defined laboratory reaction
Common available-lime methods use a rapid sugar extraction and acid titration to measure the constituents that react under specified test conditions. The result describes that test-reactive fraction, rather than all the limestone in the product.
WHY A HIGHER RESULT MATTERS
More measured test response
On the same method and reporting basis, a higher result means more available-lime equivalent detected per unit of product. It supports investigating an early chemical response that a sieve-only comparison cannot describe. It does not measure reaction speed in soil.
READ WITH NV / CCE
Capacity and availability
NV/CCE describes total acid-neutralising capacity; available lime characterises a different analytical response. HiCal’s 1.39% does not mean only 1.39% can ever react. Its bulk NV remains 87.2%, and the available-lime result is not added to it.
Selected assay values · ratios are not field-efficiency multipliers
Product
Available lime
HiCal / product
HiCal · Wanneroo
1.39%
1×
Bio-Lime · Wanneroo
0.1%
13.9×
Limesand · Dongara
0.16%
8.69×
Limesand · Lancelin
0.1%
13.9×
Limesand · Boranup
0%
Not calculable (reported zero)
Agri-Cal · Dongara
2.3%
0.6×
HiCal’s reported assay exceeds BioLime and the three limesands but is below Agri-Cal (2.3%). The slideshow does not establish assay method, equivalent basis or detection limit. Boranup’s reported zero is not proof of absolute absence and does not support an infinite ratio.
THE HICAL CASE
Assess the chemistry that reaches the rootzone.
“HiCal combines a higher available-lime assay than BioLime and the compared limesands with measured calcium and pH responses in the subsoil trial. Together, these provide a reason to assess its chemical performance beyond bulk NV or a single sieve cutoff. The value to verify is the change in acidity and calcium availability at the depth that matters.”
Connect the assay to the soil response
The product assay and soil available-calcium test measure different things. At Dumbleyung, 2 t/ha HiCal was associated with available Ca increasing from 18 to 33 ppm and water pH from 6.52 to 6.85 at 20–25 cm versus untreated plots. These observations support a soil-response case, but do not isolate which product component caused it.
Calcium entering solution can change exchange-site occupancy. Alkalinity neutralises acidity; calcium exchange alone does not raise pH. Confirm changes in exchangeable Ca, Al, Mg, K and Na with matched tests, rather than inferring them from extractable Ca alone.
Compare delivered and applied cost for a defined chemical target, depth and time: for example, a target pH together with lower exchangeable acidity or Al. Include calcium and other exchangeable cations where relevant.
The available-lime ratio cannot establish a lower application rate or a financial return. A matched trial at equal product rates and equal CCE doses would show whether HiCal achieves the target sooner or at lower total cost.
Assay sources and interpretation
ASTM C25 lists Available Lime Index and Calcium Carbonate Equivalent as separate determinations. Cheney Lime’s testing guidance describes rapid sugar extraction and titration. These explain common methods; neither establishes which method was used for these product certificates.
Product source: Broadcast Liming Update 2024, slide 7. Assay ratios are not multipliers for reaction speed, movement depth, cation displacement or soil-pH change.
SITES C & E / UNDERSTANDING THE PH RESPONSE
Different pH responses. Understand the buffer.
The Brookton–Pingelly case study reports a larger pH rise at Site C than Site E after two annual HiCal applications of 1 t/ha. The complete 2024 presentation identifies the test as CaCl₂ pH at 0–10 cm, from April 2018 to February 2020. These pH values alone do not identify the cause of the different responses. Explore the full case-study walkthrough.
Brookton–Pingelly case study • pH CaCl₂, 0–10 cm • April 2018 to February 2020 • 1 t/ha in April 2018 and April 2019
Site
Starting pH
Final pH
Change
C
4.5
5.7
+1.2
E
4.3
4.7
+0.4
pH is an intensity measure
pH describes hydrogen-ion activity. Converting pH into an estimated number of solution H⁺ ions does not measure the soil’s total acidity or the total acid neutralised by lime.
Buffering controls the demand
Exchangeable and reserve acidity can replenish solution acidity as lime reacts. Clay, organic matter and aluminium chemistry influence the lime needed for a given pH change. A smaller rise can reflect greater buffering, but these two pH pairs do not prove that explanation.
Set the rate from the soil
Use a laboratory lime-requirement or buffering assessment with target pH, soil mass and depth, then account for product NV and reaction conditions. These slides cannot establish equal acid removal or that Site E needs exactly one additional tonne.
Soil buffering is a property of the soil; it is not calculated from the product’s available-lime percentage. Source for buffering and lime-response principles: WA Soilguide, chemical factors affecting plant growth. No buffer index or acid-neutralisation mass has been assigned to either site.
HICAL / BIOLIME / SLIDESHOW BASIS
Fine particles. A distinct chemical profile.
Put the focus on chemistry where roots grow.
“In the slideshow, HiCal supplies more below-75 µm material, a higher available-lime assay and slightly more total neutralising capacity and calcium than BioLime. Combine those product distinctions with the measured soil response to assess its value for your target layer.”
13.9× available-lime assay
1.39% versus 0.10%. This compares reported assay values, not soil reaction speeds.
872 vs 864 kg CCE/t
HiCal supplies 8 kg more theoretical CaCO₃-equivalent capacity per tonne.
349 vs 345 kg Ca/t
Total calcium supplied is separate from calcium dissolved or occupying exchange sites.
Comparison from the supplied slideshow · per product tonne
Property
HiCal
BioLime
Bulk NV / CCE
87.2% · 872 kg CCE/t
86.4% · 864 kg CCE/t
Total calcium
34.9% · 349 kg/t
34.5% · 345 kg/t
Product pH (CaCl₂)
12.1
9.2
Available lime
1.39%
0.10%
Material below 75 µm
161 kg/t
148 kg/t
CCE contained below 75 µm
153.11 kg/t
142.67 kg/t
Material below 500 µm
670 kg/t
648 kg/t
CCE contained below 500 µm
582.69 kg/t
556.25 kg/t
HiCal has more below-75 µm and below-500 µm material in this source. Read the full particle distribution alongside the chemical assays and soil-response evidence.
Product assays are not a controlled before-and-after treatment pair. Neither product pH nor available lime establishes a field speed or displacement multiplier. The separate HiCal trial does not establish superiority over BioLime.
Slideshow values remain fixed for all products except Dongara limesand, which uses its 2026 techsheet (analysis 3 December 2025, laboratory NW25-00948-S02). This exception includes bulk properties, particle distribution and fraction NV assays. Slideshow laboratory dates and assay methods are unconfirmed. These source values are not a guarantee for a current delivery. Download the selected specification data.
HICAL / LIMESAND / SELECTED SPECIFICATIONS
More ultrafines. A different chemical profile.
Compare chemical response alongside tonnes delivered.
“HiCal supplies 161 kg of below-75 µm material per tonne, compared with 9 kg for Dongara (2026 techsheet), 2 kg for Lancelin and 20 kg for Boranup (slideshow). Its higher reported available-lime assay and the separate HiCal soil-response evidence provide a reason to assess chemical performance at the depth that matters.”
Slideshow values; Dongara only: 2026 techsheet
Comparison
HiCal
Dongara limesand
Lancelin limesand
Boranup limesand
Material below 75 µm · kg/t
161
9
2
20
Available lime · %
1.39
0.16
0.1
0
HiCal / available-lime assay
1×
8.69×
13.9×
Not calculable
Bulk NV / CCE · %
87.2
90.5
94.7
84.2
Total CCE · kg/t
872
905
947
842
Total calcium · kg/t
349
362
379
337
Product pH · CaCl₂
12.1
8.4
9.7
9.34
Dongara and Lancelin have higher bulk NV than HiCal in this source; Boranup has lower bulk NV. Fine-material mass, available-lime ratios and product pH do not establish equivalent application rates or a reaction-speed multiplier.
Boranup’s reported zero available lime cannot be used as a ratio denominator. Agri-Cal has a higher available-lime assay than HiCal. Compare complete particle distributions and quote-based applied costs.
Slideshow values remain fixed for all products except Dongara limesand, which uses its 2026 techsheet (analysis 3 December 2025, laboratory NW25-00948-S02). This exception includes bulk properties, particle distribution and fraction NV assays. Slideshow laboratory dates and assay methods are unconfirmed. These source values are not a guarantee for a current delivery. Download the selected specification data.
MEASURED RESPONSE / CHEMICAL INTERPRETATION
Follow the calcium. Measure the exchange.
Assess calcium supply, exchange-site occupancy and acidity neutralisation together. Changing the cations held on the soil is distinct from changing the soil’s exchange capacity.
DUMBLEYUNG · 20–25 CM
18 → 33 ppm Ca
Reported available calcium: untreated versus HiCal 2 t/ha. An increase of 15 ppm, or 83.3%, in the measured extract.
SAME SAMPLED DEPTH
6.52 → 6.85 pH
Water pH increased by 0.33 units versus untreated. This is an observed trial difference, not a calculator prediction or CaCl₂ pH.
WHAT THIS ESTABLISHES
A soil chemical response
Higher measured available Ca and pH occurred with HiCal. Neither measurement identifies displaced cations or proves superiority over BioLime or limesand.
Source: HiCal v1.2027 brochure, Dumbleyung trial means. Placement, elapsed time and statistical significance are not confirmed in the supplied brochure. Available-Ca extraction is not established as exchangeable Ca. Control water pH was 6.52: this trial does not itself demonstrate correction of Al toxicity. See all rates and reported trial details →
The chemistry to explain—and the measurements that verify it
Step
Chemical mechanism
Evidence to measure
1 · Release calcium
Dissolution makes Ca²⁺ available in soil solution. Total Ca supplied is not the same as dissolved or exchangeable Ca.
Solution Ca and method-defined extractable Ca by depth and time.
2 · Change exchange occupancy
Ca²⁺ can replace other cations on exchange sites. The extent depends on concentrations, charge and soil selectivity; replacing Mg or K is not automatically desirable.
Exchangeable Ca, Mg, K, Na and Al; CEC/ECEC and saturation percentages using consistent methods.
3 · Neutralise acidity
The product’s alkalinity consumes acidity. Calcium exchange alone does not neutralise acidity. As acidity is corrected, soluble and exchangeable Al can decline through precipitation and other equilibria.
pH, exchangeable acidity and Al, plus soil buffering or lime requirement.
4 · Remove displaced sodium where relevant
Exchange moves Na into solution; drainage and leaching are needed to remove it from the rootzone. Displacement is not removal from the soil.
Exchangeable sodium percentage, solution Na, EC and drainage conditions.
5 · Check nutrient availability
Changes in pH and ion equilibria alter nutrient solubility and retention. The direction depends on the starting soil: higher pH is not universally better for every nutrient.
Matched nutrient tests, pH and cation measurements before and after, at the same depths.
Sales-team takeaway
“The target is a measured change in rootzone chemistry: more useful calcium availability, appropriate exchange-site occupancy and reduced acidity where it is a constraint. HiCal’s assays and trial response justify evaluating that chemical performance. Confirm Al or Na displacement with the relevant soil tests.”
Your town. Your truck. Your lime cost per hectare.
Choose a product and truck for each option. Compare calcium, neutralising capacity, fine material delivered and the total applied cost.
Compare what reaches each hectare
How reactivity, fine material and costs are calculated
Smaller fraction efficiency: cumulative fraction kg per product tonne = 10 × the sum of sieve percentages below the selected size. Its CCE kg/t is the sum of each fraction’s mass × its own measured NV. If any required fraction NV is unreported, the combined CCE is not estimated from bulk NV. Applied A$/tonne of selected material = applied A$/product tonne ÷ selected fraction mass proportion. Cost per tonne of its CCE uses that fraction’s measured CCE contribution. These are component-cost comparisons, not proof of equal field efficacy.
Below 75 µm: product t/ha × 1,000 × the measured percentage below 0.075 mm. This is the amount of ultrafine material applied, not a claim that all of it has reacted. Its CCE kg/ha uses the measured NV of that specific fraction. Lancelin has no published NV for this fraction, so its ultrafine CCE is shown as unavailable.
Conventional particle-size index: the particle-size factor weights material below 0.5 mm at 100%, 0.5–1 mm at 50%, and above 1 mm at 20%, normalised for rounded sieve totals. Size-adjusted CCE kg/ha = product t/ha × 1,000 × bulk CCE fraction × size factor. This is a conventional carbonate size index, not measured reaction over time. It does not model the proprietary treatment; HiCal’s size-adjusted CCE and associated cost are therefore not reported. Soil acidity, moisture, placement and chemistry also affect reaction.
CCE and NV: the supplied bulk NV expresses calcium carbonate equivalent as a percentage of pure CaCO₃. They are the same capacity measure here, not separate multipliers. Total Ca is elemental calcium.
Costs: whole loads = area × product rate ÷ payload, rounded up. Freight cost = loads × [(pit-to-town km + farm-leg km) × charged legs × A$/vehicle-km + fixed cost/load]. Divide by product tonnes for freight A$/t. A carrier quote replaces this calculation. Total A$/ha = rate × (product price + freight + spreading A$/t) + incorporation A$/ha. No truck payload or charge is assumed from truck type.
Routes: the local shortest-path calculation uses Main Roads road-node connectivity, road-segment true distances and SLK intervals split at zoning boundaries within the selected Tandem Drive Network 2–10. Roads outside that network are excluded. The town endpoint is the nearest connected listed road within 1.5 km of the geocoded town centre. This last offset is displayed and excluded; it is not an assumed legal road connection. Conditional network segments may be used and are flagged for review. This bidirectional corridor model does not resolve turning or one-way restrictions, bridges, closures, permits or private access. It is not a navigation route or an approval. It covers the downloaded network snapshot, not live changes. Road records without connection-node identifiers are omitted, so a missing connection may yield a detour or no result; the estimate is not a verified shortest legal driving route. General-access / Network 1, tri-drive, AMMS and PBS schemes are not modelled; use a carrier quote for these. The access checkbox records your carrier’s review; it is not a website-issued approval. Changing the product, truck, destination or route inputs clears it. Rankings require checked routes and complete prices.
Specifications: all product specifications and fractions use slide 7 of Broadcast Liming Update 2024. The product links open the on-page source table. HiCal fractions total 99.9% due to source rounding. Missing fraction assays are not inferred.
Town suggestions include 1,700 WA towns and localities from the WA Health 2024 list, including Albany, Geraldton, Merredin, Lake King and Beacon. Town selection does not verify farm access.
INTERNATIONAL & AUSTRALIAN EVIDENCE
Particle size. Capacity. Effectiveness over time.
Crushed limestone has decades of research behind it. Use the four selected products above to compare measured capacity with a literature-based limestone scenario.
CCE: total capacity
Bulk NV × 10 gives kg CaCO₃ equivalent per tonne. This measured capacity includes all particle sizes.
Ca: nutrient mass
Total Ca% × 10 gives kg calcium per tonne. It does not measure soluble calcium or establish a soil-pH increase.
pH: soil response
Particle size, source, moisture, placement, time and soil buffering determine the response. Product pH cannot be used as a soil-pH multiplier.
Pandolfo & Tedesco (1996), Brazilian field microplots: relative effectiveness averaged 100% below 0.30 mm, 68% at 0.30–0.84 mm and 31.5% at 0.84–2 mm over two years. These are study-specific pH-response factors, not universal percentages dissolved.
Calculation: fraction kg/t × fraction NV/100 × study effectiveness factor; then sum the assessed fractions. For 250–500 µm we show 68–100%; for 500–1,000 µm, 31.5–68%, because the product sieves cross the study boundaries. These are mapping bounds, not statistical confidence intervals.
Updates with your four product selections and application rates
Partial index: only fractions with size and NV data are assessed. Unmodelled mass is displayed, not assumed ineffective. The result is not whole-product effective CCE, a measured reacted mass, or a predicted soil-pH rise. Missing NV within the assessed bins makes the index unavailable. Fraction assays may not reconcile with bulk assays.
HiCal: this is a conventional limestone scenario applied to its published fraction assays. No additional benefit is assigned to proprietary treatment technology. It is not a validated HiCal performance prediction. The same literature transfer limitations apply to the other sources.
Financial interpretation: cost per index tonne allocates the entire application cost to the assessed index. Compare coverage before comparing costs. Crop ROI still requires a yield or gross-margin response. A soil-pH estimate requires a matching soil lime-response curve.
06 / TAKE IT TO THE PADDOCK
Keep the evidence with the plan.
Sample by depth before treatment and repeat at the same depths after treatment. Record application date, rate, moisture conditions and actual incorporation.
