Hydration of lime and allied substances

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR THE HYDRATION OF LIME WHEREIN QUICKLINE IS ADMIXED WITH WATER IN A HYDRATING ZONE TO PRODUCE POWEDERED HYDRATED LIME AND TAILINGS, SAID TAILINGS BEING OF A LARGER PARTICLE SIZE THAN THAT OF SAID HYDRATED LIME, SAID TAILINGS CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF UNHYDRATED LIME AND A NONHYDRATABLE RESIDUE, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES MIXING SAID TAILINGS WITH WATER IN AN AGITATION ZONE TO PRODUCE AN AQUEOUS MIXTURE INCLUDING ADDITIONAL HYDRATED LIME AND SAID RESIDUE, INTRODUCING SAID AQUEOUS MIXTURE TO A SETTLING ZONE TO PRODUCE AN OVERFLOW OF SAID ADDITIONAL HYDRATED LIME IN AQUEOUS SUSPENSION AND PASSING SAID OVERFLOW TO SAID HYDRATING ZONE.